Letters From Beyond
by LoganAlpha30
Summary: Set after OoTP.  What if when Sirius died the trio found a short letter addressed to each of them from Sirius.  Am now writing a full blown fanfic with the 3 letters as a starting point.  Hope you like it.  12th Chapter Now UP!
1. Default Chapter

LETTERS FROM BEYOND 

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, because if I did Ron and Hermione would be together already.**

**RON**

If you're reading this then you've obviously either become extremely bored or are in a desperate need to help Harry feel better after my death. For starters I feel compelled to thank you for…well for being you…I don't know Harry would be without you. It is at this time that I feel that he will need you, and Hermione, most of all. My death will most likely have hit him harder than a hippogriff to the head. Please be assured that it was never my intention to cause Harry, or any of you, any more pain and suffering then you have already been wrongfully forced to endure during your young lives. But unfortunately this is not a perfect world that we…now you all live in.

Secondly there are a few things that you should know about life. Even though I have only known you a short time I have found you to be exactly the kind of friend that Harry needs in his life. A friend that will be with him to the end, no matter what he says. You are a friend that would give his life for Harry without a second thought. There are few friends in this world like you Ronald, and for that Harry is very fortunate. Never let go of your better qualities like your determination, your loyalty, and most importantly of all…your heart. Harry would not have made it this far without you and will need you in the battles to come. Be a good young man and heed well the words of your mother and father for they truly do have the best intentions for you and your brothers and sister in mind. Don't be to horrible to Percy, while it is true that he has strayed and is under the false impression that Dumbledore is losing his mind I feel that when the end comes he will be where he belongs, right there beside you and the rest of your family. Do well in school for after the final fight is over and Voldemort is no more there will still be a need for young gentlemen like yourself.

On a more personal note Ron, don't be afraid to hide your true emotions from those that you truly care about. Even though you might try and hide behind your humor and your friendship I beseech you to not let fear rule your heart. Go out and take what you want. I am beyond convinced that the object of your affection feels the same. But like you she is too scared to own up to her feelings lest the object of her affections, you, not return those feelings. Despite what others might say love is the most powerful force in the universe Ronald. It is powerful enough to overcome any fear, any obstacle, and any reservation. You and she share such a love that I have only seen once before in my life, I saw it every time I looked at Harry's parents. You complete each other, where one is weak the other is strong. Your admissions of approval of her actions give her the strength to go on fighting. And a simple gaze and supportive word from her are all that you need to face any enemy, even I think Voldemort himself.

So in closing Ron…take care of Harry for me, make sure that he doesn't go off and do something stupid like trying to take Voldemort on all by himself…(something that you should not even think about doing either)…

Sirius Black

P.S.-Act quickly, and don't let a certain clever bushy haired friend get away, especially not to a Bulgarian quidditch seeker who shall remain nameless…


	2. Hermione

LETTERS FROM BEYOND 

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I created.**

**HERMIONE**

To you I feel that I should start off by apologizing for being so reckless and getting myself killed when Harry really needed me. But as I sit down to write these letters the thought occurs to me…that perhaps you have used both Harry and Ron as shields to protect yourself from what you consider the judging eyes of your classmates. Now that statement is not to say that I believe that you have any reason to hide from anyone. On the contrary Hermione, you should be front and center amongst all witches, old and young. Never doubt yourself Hermione, in anything. In the short time that I have known you I have come to feel that there is nothing that you cannot do if you put your mind to it. If they say that it's impossible and that it cannot be done you'll smile politely and then prove them wrong. You are very self reliant, which is an admirable trait. But while it is admirable it is often also your undoing. For you can become so concerned with getting everything just right and getting a good grade that you may miss the many pleasantries of life. Remember Hermione we only get one chance at this wonderful thing called life, and I would hate for you to miss out on the happier moments because you had your nose stuck in one fanciful tome or another.

Please look after Harry, and to a lesser…possibly greater degree, Ron, for me as well. The two together are almost inseparable. They become one with you as the glue. Ron will need help in keeping Harry's spirits up and he needs your level headed approach to life to keep him from spinning dangerously out of control. Harry likes to think that he has everything under control, but like James he has a wild side that is a terror when unleashed. You and Ron need to be there to keep him from doing something to wild or foolish.

On a more personal note Hermione there are those that do not see you how you think they do. They do not see the negative image of yourself that you seem to be unable to shake. Their love, yes love, for you is not based solely on looks, for if it were they would have acted upon those ideals by now. Their love for you is based on what makes you, and others like you, a great person is traits that you cannot teach or explain. They are inherent traits that we are born with. There is one whose love for you goes deeper than I believe even he has yet to realize. However he lacks the courage of the house that he occupies to tell you about his love. He watches from afar as other potential suitors present themselves and convinces himself that he isn't good enough for you and could never compete with any of them. But you and I know the truth, don't we Hermione… There never was a competition of any sort, he had your heart locked up the first day that you met, even if neither of you quite realized it at that moment. Rather it took the possibility of losing each other that clarified your feelings…so my humble advice to you Hermione, is to use the courage that your house is known well for and take a gamble, if I'm right I believe that you will never regret your decision, and if at all possible wonder why you didn't make it sooner.

There is truly little else in terms of advice that I could give you that you haven't either heard or read somewhere, except for one small note…never doubt your heart…

Sirius Black

P.S.-Make sure that Harry brushes his teeth, doesn't stay up to late, and does not blame himself for my death, it was my time…


	3. Harry

LETTERS FROM BEYOND 

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.**

**HARRY**

Harry…Harry…Harry…what is there to say, I could line one thousand apologies up in this space and none of them would ever come close to easing your pain. I am sorry for dying on you Harry, you must believe that I did not mean to…and furthermore it is NOT your fault. I am sorry for being the latest one to leave you feeling all-alone in this world against the evils rallied against you. But I swear to you now and forever that you are not alone, and you never will be. Not as long as you keep those that love you close at hand. Even though right now you may feel like throttling both of them Ron and Hermione do have your best interest at heart. They want their old friend back, the one that would laugh at Ron's jokes that Hermione would not understand and the direct contrast of that. I wish that I could be there for you to answer all of those questions that a father/godfather is supposed to answer for his son/godson, but it was not to be and we must play the hand that we are dealt. I do not know why you have been made to suffer so much in your short life; I cannot see what crime you, or any of us, could have committed that would have yielded such a punishment.

Harry, be forever diligent in your studies, unlike your father and I. We did not study up to our full potential and there are times that I have wondered if studying more would have changed anything. Heed Dumbledore's advice, whether you agree with it or not. He may not always say what you would like him to but he is wise beyond his years and there is no one that I trust more, and so should you. As for 12 Grimmauld Place it is now all yours, Kreacher to, and what you do with it is up to you.

As to more personal matters do not let the fight with Voldemort keep you from opening yourself up to others. If there is a special someone that you fancy, don't hold back, tell her…the worst thing that you can do is to keep it all bottled up like Ron does and not tell the girl that you fancy how much she means to you. Whether it be Ms. Chang, that I've heard so much about, Ms. Weasley, or someone that you have yet to meet, do not let her go for the sake of keeping her safe. Because if you do Harry then I swear to you that you will live to regret that decision. I myself am proof of that.

If you have not guessed by now it is your two best friends that fancy each other mightily. I hope that this does not cause you any strife. I am only telling you this because I have the oddest feeling that you will need the love that they share for each other when the final battle commences. When James fell in love with Lily I did my best to give him council and to help him win her heart. However you are lucky Harry, for both have already one their beloved's heart, fairly early on I'd say. The trick will be in getting them to admit it to one another and then truly believe it. Use this experience in your own romantic pursuits Harry, for if you go through the rest of your time at Hogwarts I swear to you that they will be lonely days. Not to end on a sour note I wish you good luck in the future Harry, be kind and generous to all and never doubt that you are loved, no matter what Voldemort or anyone else says.

Sirius Black

P.S.-Don't let Remus blame himself for this; he was always doing that back in school…every time that James and I would get into trouble he would place the blame squarely on his own shoulders. And after Voldemort has been defeated, as I know that you will win Harry, see to it that someone like him never…ever, arises again. The wizarding and muggle world has already been put through far too much because of him. The world might not get so lucky as to have a champion such as yourself again…


	4. Fights With Friends

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would be together already as would Ginny and Harry.**

**Author's Note: Guess I'll continue on from the three letters that Sirius left. This story will start off in the break between 5th and 6th year for the trio and go from there. Hope you all like it.**

**CHAPTER 1-FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS**

Harry opened his eyes and squinted at the condition of his room at 4 Privet Drive. It was only two days before he could finally leave the Dursley's for the summer and spend the rest of it with Ron and Hermione, hopefully at the Burrow. For the life of him he did not want to return to 12 Grimmauld Place, even the thought of it brought back to many sad memories of Sirius and made his heart hurt. Hermione had spent part of the summer in Bulgaria with Viktor Krum. She had sent letter upon letter asking Harry to not mention that fact to Ron. She had asked him so much that Harry had begun to wonder if there wasn't some underlying reason that she didn't want Ron to know about her trip to Bulgaria aside from that it would set him off. Ron had spent some of the summer in France with Bill and Fleur, visiting with her family. Harry smiled as he remembered Ginny's letter about how she expected Bill to propose at any moment and how excited she was at the prospect of a wedding in the family. Hermione had somehow found out about Ron's trip to France and despite her best efforts to hide it Harry suspected that she wasn't entirely thrilled about it, even though it was Bill that was dating Fleur and not Ron.

He had tried not to think of Sirius any more than he absolutely had to. He kept a small picture of himself and Sirius, taken by Hermione during the Christmas break of their fifth year, close to his heart. None of the Dursley's knew that he had the picture but Aunt Petunia had asked about him one morning when Harry had made her some tea. She hadn't been able to sleep and in an odd show of kindness he had made her favorite kind of tea in the hopes of cheering her up. It had worked until Dudley had come down the stairs and begun to complain that one of his toys wasn't working. Uncle Vernon had for the most part left him alone over the summer, except for making him do every single chore that he could think of. By the time that Harry had climbed into bed the night before he had concluded that it was mostly because Uncle Vernon didn't want to do any of the chores himself and had passed them on to Harry out of spite.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Ron had only arrived back at the Burrow twenty four hours earlier before Hermione walked in through the front door, allowing an unhappy looking Fred and George carry her trunk. From the top of the stairs Ron watched Hermione as she slowly walked inside. She seemed to be greatly relieved to be at the Burrow and more than once Ron watched with baited breath, as she seemed to go from one aspect of the house that she loved to another. When Ginny came bounding in, straight out of helping get Tonks out of the pond for the second time that day, Ron sat down on the step to study Hermione a bit more. Her hair was as frizzy as ever and despite the heavy coat that she had thrown loosely over her shoulders Ron could tell that he wasn't the only one that had grown up over the summer. Her chocolate brown eyes shone in the twinkling lights of Fred and George's newest gift, a light bulb that would flutter around in a big circle for a time before exploding like a bottle rocket and then forming back into the light bulb. A warm and happy smile creased Ron's mouth as he watched Hermione directly Fred and George as to where to set her trunk down. "Still a bossy know it all…," Ron thought to himself as he was barely able to stop himself from chuckling at the sight. Though was Ron didn't fully catch as he watched her was the Hermione was searching for someone, and her worries, and ideas about why he wasn't there, were only growing by the minute. Sighing to himself Ron shrugged his shoulders and decided that it was now or never and slowly made his way down the stairs, just as Fred and George finally found the right spot that Hermione agreed with and set her trunk down.

Hermione didn't know that anyone else was in the Burrow's living room until Ginny grinned that same mischievous grin of Ron's that Hermione had come to know and love. About to ask what Ginny was smiling about Hermione stopped herself when she saw Ginny wink quickly turning away and trying not to laugh. Taking a deep breath Hermione turned around and very nearly dropped Crookshanks at the sight. The wild red hair and nervous smile was the same, but everything else seemed to be new. Words, and her inhibitions, failed her in an instant as her eyes roamed him over from top to bottom. He had definitely grown over the summer and she guessed that had she wanted to kiss him on the cheek again like she did before his first Quidditch match she'd have to stand on a chair to do it. Either that or get him to kneel down in front of her. She noticed that the shirt that he wore must be an old one since there was a bit of his stomach showing in between it and the top of his jeans, a patch of skin that would have kept Hermione's gaze locked right there had she not looked up just a bit and saw that the shirt seemed to almost be painted on. She would probably have kept staring at Ron had Ginny not interrupted.

"Oi Ron, isn't that shirt a little small," Ginny announced loudly with a wide grin on her face, with George and Fred having to resort to biting their bottom lips to keep from laughing, as she patted Hermione on the shoulder.

"Yeah…but it was the only one that was clean," Ron groaned with a frustrated sigh as he started to walk up to Hermione but Fred and George stopped him.

"I say George…isn't that your shirt," Fred began with a mischievous grin on his face as he walked up to Ron and leaned in close to get a better look at the shirt.

"You know I think it is, ickle Ronnie's gone and swiped one of my shirts," George replied with an indignant frown on his face as he stepped up beside Fred and picked at Ron's shirt like a chicken eating its dinner.

"Bugger off…I did no such thing, this is one of mine, you two gave it to me last Christmas," Ron growled with a frustrated scowl on his face as he took a step back and glared at the twins while Hermione blushed and fought to keep from laughing.

"We did…," Fred quipped with a screwed up look of confusion on his face as he crossed his arms and jutted out his bottom lip, staring up at the ceiling as if the answer was written there.

"You know what Fred, I think he's right…guess there's a first time for everything" George finished with an amused and fake look of deep thought on his face before Ginny stepped in to try and keep Ron's temper under control.

"So when's Harry getting here," Ginny interjected with a nervous smile on her face as she squeezed in between Fred and George and laid one hand on Ron's shoulder and the other on Hermione's shoulder.

"A couple of days…," Hermione answered softly with a nervous look on her face as she looked first to the twins and then back over to Ron and Ginny.

"Good, then we have plenty of time to figure out how we're going to help him get over Sirius' death," Ginny announced proudly with a big smile on her face before she turned and marched up the stairs.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

It had been two days since Harry had come, but unfortunately for everyone Mrs. Weasley had come in the first afternoon and told them that they would be leaving shortly for 12 Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore had heard rumblings of Death Eaters in the vicinity of the Burrow and deemed that it wasn't safe for Harry and the others. Despite that fact Harry had wanted to stay at the Burrow rather than return to the home of his dead godfather. But in the end Harry had lost and soon found himself sitting in the living room of the old house, not feeling up to doing anything but sulking. Ron had tried to engage him in a game of wizard's chess but Harry had acted as if he hadn't heard him until Ron stormed out of the room and up the stairs. Hermione had tried next to ask him about his summer but like with Ron he had remained stone silent and soon she had made up an excuse about leaving a book upstairs and left the room.

"How is he," Ginny whispered softly to Hermione at the top of the stairs as one was on the way up and the other on the way down.

"Not good, he wouldn't even look at us…I'm going to find Ron," Hermione replied softly with a worried look on her face as she brushed some stray hairs behind her ear.

"Okay…by the way, how was Bulgaria…and Viktor…," Ginny whispered with a sly snicker and grin on her face as she shot her eyebrows up quickly as if asking for all of the sordid details.

"It was…nice, I actually had fun…, Viktor was…," Hermione began to stutter out with a nervous smile on her face before the inevitable happened as both Hermione and Ginny cringed when they heard Ron's sharp intake of air at his surprise about finding out that Hermione had gone to Bulgaria.

"You went to Bulgaria…," Ron spat out, fully red in the face, as he struggled to keep his raging temper under control.

"Yes Ron I went to Bulgaria…it was actually quite lovely, now if you'll excuse me…," Hermione stated softly with an annoyed look on her face as she started off down the hallway with Ron in hot pursuit while Ginny just shook her head, rolled her eyes, and walked down the steps.

"Why didn't you tell me…," Ron demanded with an angry scowl on his face as he easily kept pace with Hermione on her trek down the hallway.

"Because it's none of your business Ron, Viktor asked me and I accepted," Hermione sharply replied with an angry look on her face before she ducked into the nearest room in the hopes that Ron would leave her alone. Her luck did not hold out.

"It is my business because…Harry knew didn't he…Ginny to…if it was that simple then why'd you lie to me," Ron continued with a steadily growing expression of anger in both the look on his face and tone to his voice as he followed her into the room.

"Because of this, I knew that if I told you then you'd get angry and think that he'd done something to me…," Hermione started to reply with a nervous look on her face as in her mind she registered that they were in Sirius' old room but at the moment that was the least of her worries.

"I am not angry and…wait, he did something to you, that bloody git I swear I'll…," Ron growled as he began to fume and Hermione began to become worried that Ron was going to have a heart attack at how angry he was becoming.

"He didn't do anything to me Ronald, I was just trying to use it as an example to show how foolish you're acting about all of this, Viktor and I are just friends," Hermione pleaded as she tried her best to calm Ron down as she was a bit confused as to why he was getting worked up much more than usual and much quicker than usual.

"Just like me and you…," Ron asked softly after taking a deep breath as he clenched and unclenched his fists in an attempt to try and calm down.

"Not exactly Ron, Viktor has an emotional range bigger than a teaspoon and is actually a very good kisser…," Hermione started to say with a joking smile on her face in an attempt to show Ron that he shouldn't take it to seriously when no sooner had the last words left her lips when she heard a sickening sound. A loud crash shattered through their argument and brought it to a quick end. "Ron what…Merlin," Hermione started to ask with a worried tone to her voice as she spun around on her heel before she saw Ron's arm stuck in the wall and him trying desperately to not hyperventilate.

"Heh…uh…sorry," Ron mumbled with a very nervous and very embarrassed expression on his face as he tried unsuccessfully to pull his fist back out of the wall.

"What did you do…," Hermione gasped with a very surprised tone to her voice as she instantly forgot about the row and rushed to Ron's side, looking back and forth between the look of growing panic on his face and his arm sticking into the wall.

"I…uh…I…got mad and…," Ron mumbled softly to himself as he found that it was impossible to look at Hermione without her seeing the guilty and jealous look in his eyes.

"Does it hurt…," Hermione asked with a worried tone to her voice as she moved a bit closer and brushed some small pieces of wood off of Ron's arm.

"A little…," Ron lied with a sincere smile on his face as had he been honest he would have admitted that it felt like he broke every bone in his hand, which was not that far from the truth.

"Can you pull it out," Hermione asked next as she moved around to his other side and leaned in closer to the wall. Ron took a deep breath and tried to pull his fist out a couple of times before weakly shaking his head no to Hermione, who's brows furrowed in both confusion and worry at that turn of events.

"I should go get your mother…or Remus," Hermione mumbled with a deep in thought frown on her face as she continued to study the situation.

"No don't…I mean I don't want Fred and George to know, if they find out then I'll never hear the end of it…," Ron pleaded with an innocent smile on his face as he looked down at Hermione and hoped that she wouldn't tell the twins.

"What if we both tried to pull it out at the same time, maybe that'd work…," Hermione came back with as she poked Ron's forearm with one finger to see just how stuck it was. To her question Ron could only shrug his shoulders before slowly nodding his head with a nervous look on his face. Hermione took a deep breath before she wrapped her hands around Ron's forearm and together they were finally able to pull Ron's arm out. But not before pulling hard enough that when his fist finally did pop free that the two didn't stumble back across the room onto Sirius' bed and tumble onto it, with Hermione ending up almost literally nose to nose with Ron. The two best friends remained there for several moments, both to scared at the to close proximity of their faces. It was finally Ginny's arrival into the room that broke the spell that seemed to have been cast over them.

"Hey you two, what are you doing in Sirius'…oh," Ginny started to ask with a confused expression on her face before she noticed Hermione lying on top of Ron on Sirius' bed and started to slowly back out of the room, her ears burning red.

"No Ginny wait…it's not what it looks like," Hermione quickly stammered out with a very embarrassed look on her face as she scrambled back off of Ron, a sad feeling forming in the pit of her stomach as she noticed Ron wince badly as she brushed past his hand coupled with the blood that she saw there as well.

"That's good to hear, because to me it's looks like you and Ron were about to…," Ginny began with a sly grin on her face before Ron interrupted.

"Ginny," Ron roared from his place on the bed before he bolted upright to his feet, being careful to cradle his injured hand until he saw both Ginny and Hermione's eyes grow wide in shock and concern at the sight of his hand.

"What happened," Ginny demanded with a very concerned look on her face as her momentary bout of sarcasm had gone away and been replace with some confusion.

"Nothing…," Ron grumbled back with a painful wince as he slowly tried to move the fingers on his injured hand.

"Ron got mad and punched the wall," Hermione added with a less than happy frown on her face as she slowly approached the bed and then sat down beside Ron, wanting to get a better look at his injured hand.

"I only got mad because you said that you and Viktor had…," Ron started to argue with an angry look on his face but was stopped when Mrs. Weasley walked into the room. Hermione was only able to get half of the explanation out before Ron was rushed off to St. Mungro's as Remus had said that it was beyond him to heal Ron's hand because of the number of small bones in the hand.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

It was almost ten thirty before Ron came back to 12 Grimmauld Place, his hand wrapped up tightly in a light blue cloth. Hanging his head Ron started to ascend the stairs towards his room but was stopped when Hermione spoke up.

"Ron, is that you…could you come in here…please," Hermione stated with a nervous and anxious edge to her voice as she shoved her hands into her pockets to keep from wringing her hands.

"Now what Mione…I don't really feel like talking, all I want to do is go upstairs, change clothes and go to…butterbeer," Ron started to groan with a tired and weary look on his face as he sulked into the living room before he noticed that Hermione had drug the sofa up reasonably close to the fire, with a thick blanket laid on the floor in front of it, and on the small coffee table there sat two large jugs of butterbeer.

"I felt bad about earlier, even though you were being a…," Hermione began to say with a soft stutter to her voice as she blushed in the firelight, causing Ron's heart to flutter as he desperately tried not to stare.

"Sorry about that I just…," Ron started to mumble sadly as he hung his head and joined Hermione by the couch.

"I shouldn't have said that about Viktor and I, I was just trying to show you how foolish you were acting," Hermione said softly with an apologetic smile on her face before the two plopped down on the blanket in front of the couch and Hermione pulled one of Mrs. Weasley's large and thick blankets off of the end of the couch. Ron said nothing at first as he hung his head down a bit further and his ears flushed a very bright red.

"I shouldn't have gotten so mad…but with Harry and all I just…," Ron mumbled with a very sad and somber pout on his face as Hermione sat up and picked up the two mugs of butterbeer, handing one to Ron before leaning back up against the sofa and staring off into the fire.

"I know…I'm so worried about him, he's barely spoken since he arrived," Hermione added with a sad tone to her voice as she edged closer to Ron until their shoulders touched.

"Guess Sirius' death's really getting to him…," Ron stated sadly over the lip of his mug of butterbeer as he stared into the fire before he took a small sip and leaned back.

"I just wish that there was something that we could do to help him," Hermione said softly, almost tearing up before she turned towards Ron and couldn't suppress a soft giggle.

"What…what's so funny," Ron asked, with a screwed up look of confusion on his face before the edges of his mouth curled up into the beginnings of a smile.

"You have some foam on your nose," Hermione chuckled with an amused smirk on her face before she leaned in and brushed the small amount of offending foam off on Ron's nose and then brushed a few stray locks of his long locks behind his ear so that she could see his face reflected in firelight.

"Thanks," Ron whispered with a slightly embarrassed smile on his face before he reached across Hermione, which got her heart rate to rapidly increase for a brief moment, and then pulled the heavy blanket across both of their legs and feet.

"Don't mention it…you just looked kind of funny with a glob of foam hanging off the end of your nose, almost like Malfoy last winter when you and Ginny hexed him and his nose didn't stop running for three days," Hermione replied softly as she tried to take a sip of her butterbeer but the memory for them both soon became to much and they openly laughed together for several moments before they resumed sitting there listening to the crackling of the roaring fire in the fireplace.

"You and Viktor never…," Ron began to mumble with a very nervous and embarrassed look on his face as he did his best to hide as much of his face with his mug of butterbeer as he glanced over at Hermione, who was in the middle of taking a sip herself. She remained quiet for several moments before a warm smile graced her face and Ron couldn't help but smile.

"Kissed…no, he wanted to but…I wasn't, I told him that I was waiting for the right guy to…," Hermione finally said with a nervous look on her face as she turned to Ron and continued to answer his question while their faces began to inch closer and closer until…

Two hours later Mrs. Weasley would come down the stairs and get a little misty at the sight of Ron and Hermione snuggled up together fast asleep in front of the roaring fire. Ron lay with his back up against the sofa and one arm wrapped protectively and lovingly around Hermione's shoulders while her head found a pillow in the crook between his neck and his shoulder. When she edged a bit closer to them Mrs. Weasley smiled as she saw that Hermione had a good hold of the front of Ron's shirt, almost clinging to him for dear life while the two were enveloped by the large heavy blanket. Smiling warmly to herself Mrs. Weasley walked over and stoked up the fire, making sure that it would last until at least morning, and then softly walked out of the room, being careful to not wake the slumbering pair.

END OF CHAPTER 1


	5. Such A Snoop

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 2-SUCH A SNOOP**

Harry awoke slowly, forcing himself to push the covers aside and then find his slippers before yawning deeply. The fight between Ron and Hermione had been the music to which he had gone to sleep by. He had gotten so used to them rowing that he had sworn at times that he could now sleep through a blizzard because of that fact. He fumbled his way out of his and Ron's room, not noticing that Ron's bed was empty. He passed Remus on the way to the stairs before noticing that everyone was being oddly quiet, even Tonks, who hadn't tripped over the umbrella stand yet. When Harry got to the bottom of the staircase he noticed that Ginny was leaning against the doorway to the living room with her arms crossed and an almost dreamlike look of contentment on her face as she was looking at something in the room.

"Ginny what…," Harry started to ask with a confused look on his face before Ginny snapped out of her gaze and glared at him.

"Shh…keep your voice down Harry, they're still asleep," Ginny snapped harshly in a whisper as she reluctantly pushed off of the doorframe and walked over to Harry, taking him by the shoulder and then leading him slowly into the living room. Harry wasn't sure if he was still dreaming or wide-awake by the sight that greeted his gaze after allowing Ginny to lead him into the living room. All snuggled up together, under a heavy blanket, were Ron and Hermione, with two mugs of butterbeer resting together on the small table in front of them. The fireplace had an unusually roaring fire in it. As Harry studied the pair he noticed that Hermione looked more content than he had ever seen her, awake or asleep. For his part Ron looked like he had almost found heaven, even though Harry guessed that his best friend would blush a brighter red than any of his Christmas jumpers when he woke up. Gaping at the sight Harry turned to Ginny as if silently asking her how the scene in the living room came to be.

"Got me…I just came downstairs this morning and saw them, mum said that they've been there since last night, Hermione waited up for Ron after he got back from St. Mungro's," Ginny replied softly with a happy smile on her face as she led Harry back out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"You'd best leave them alone until they wake up Harry, Hermione was in a right awful state last night waiting for Ron to come home," Mrs. Weasley added with a worried look on her face before she turned around and went back to preparing breakfast.

"What happened, I heard them rowing but I've gotten so used to it that I just blocked it out and…," Harry asked in a medium whisper as he took a seat next to Ginny and rubbed his eyes.

"Ron found out that Hermione went to Bulgaria and visited Viktor and he…well he didn't take it very well, but then Hermione went and made a joke about how good of a kisser Viktor was and Ron…well he," Ginny stammered out with a slightly nervous look on her face as she looked back and forth between Harry and her mother.

"That son of mine decided that the wall had done him wrong somehow and put his fist through it, broke almost every bloody bone in his hand, just glad the healers were able to fix him up nice and proper for school," Mrs. Weasley replied with a not very pleased scowl on her face as her gaze momentarily darted out of the kitchen and towards the living room.

"Hermione and Viktor, they…," Harry began to mumble with a very surprised look on his face before he popped a bit of toast into his mouth and began to chew.

"No…Hermione just said that to make Ron mad, guess it worked," Ginny corrected quickly with a smile and shrug of her shoulders before she set about buttering her own toast.

"Yeah…a little to well," Harry mumbled back in agreement before Remus walked into the room, carrying with his what looked like three letters, with one tucked away in his back pocket.

"Oh Harry there you are…after Ron's um…rather unfortunate episode with the wall I found these, there's one for you, Ron, and Hermione…from Sirius," Remus stated with a hearty grin on his face at first before he caught Mrs. Weasley's ire and was forced to slip down into a smirk.

"Who's that one for," Ginny asked, unabated, as she pointed at the letter tucked in his back pocket with a double over slice of buttered toast in her hand.

"This one…for me actually, but I'm going to save it for later, here's yours Harry, now don't get that gloomy look on your face, Sirius wrote these for a reason and they should not be taken lightly, now where are Ron and Hermione," Remus stated with a very sad and lonesome smile on his face before he did his best to brighten up and looked about the kitchen.

"They're asleep in the living room Remus Lupin, but don't you dare wake them up for something as simple as a letter, even if it is one from Sirius Black, giving them the letter can wait until they wake up," Mrs. Weasley quickly warned with a stern scowl on her face as he glared at Remus and pointed the wooden spoon in her hand directly at him.

"What letter…," A sleepy and frazzled looking Hermione asked as she yawned deeply while she slowly walked into the kitchen with a half asleep Ron trailing behind her.

"Morning snuggle-bunnies," Ginny announced with a proud grin on her face as she waved a quick good morning to Ron and Hermione before returning her gaze to her plate and taking a big bite of toast.

"What finally woke you two up," Harry quickly interjected with a sheepish smirk on his face as he watched Ginny chew very slowly.

"Ron was hungry," Hermione replied softly, still more than a bit sleepy, as she slid into a seat next to Ginny and rubbed her tired eyes.

"I caught a whiff of mum's cooking and just had to come," Ron confirmed with a hungry smile on his face as he sat down at the table next to Hermione and then yawned deeply.

"How's your hand, Gryffindor doesn't need to find itself a new keeper does it," Harry asked softly with the edges of his mouth beginning to curl up into the beginnings of a wide grin while Ginny shoved the rest of the piece of toast into her mouth to keep from breaking out into a smile. Ron looked suddenly quite stunned at the idea of possibly not playing Quidditch for a moment before he started to give Harry an answer, but was interrupted by Hermione.

"His hand will be fine Harry, completely fine in time for Quidditch practice," Hermione stated with a very sure of her words look on her face before she warmly accepted a plate full of food that Mrs. Weasley handed her, being completely ignorant of the merrily surprised look on Ron's face.

"Enough talk about Quidditch for now, Remus…you were saying something about those letters that you found," Mrs. Weasley quickly stated in a frustrated huff before she set an extra full plate of food down on the table in front of her youngest son.

"Yes…I was, thank you Molly, here Ron…Hermione, these are for you, they're letters to you from Sirius, not found until after you took out your aggressions on that poor wall Ron," Remus said slowly with a nervous look on his face before he handed Ron one of the letters and then the other to Hermione.

"Any idea what's in them," Ron asked, hoping to sound cheerful and that Harry wouldn't get to depressed at the mere mention of his now dead godfather's name, as he turned the letter over and over again in his hands as Hermione closely inspected hers.

"No Ronald I do not know what is written in them, that is for you to find out when you read them," Remus replied with a serious yet somewhat sad look on his face before he bowed low to Mrs. Weasley and walked out of the room, dragging Tonks behind him just before she was about to trip over the umbrella stand for the first time that day.

9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

After spending most of the day cleaning out the rest of the house, with Ron almost constantly complaining that he couldn't see how there was still some part of the house that hadn't been cleaned yet, they all got to rest. Harry had retreated to Buckbeak's room and refused to let anyone into the room. Ginny had said that she was only going to sit down and rest but not five minutes after sitting down in one of the bigger chairs she was asleep and snoring softly. Mrs. Weasley had gone downstairs to prepare lunch and await Errol with everyone's Hogwarts letters, leaving Ron and Hermione alone upstairs, both staring oddly at their letters from Sirius.

"Should we read them," Ron asked Hermione with a nervous look on his face, almost as if he were expecting the letter to have some kind of magical booby trap on it.

"Probably…Sirius wouldn't have written them if he hadn't wanted us to read them one day," Hermione replied with a small yawn as she shrugged her shoulders and plopped down on the far end of the nearest couch in the next room after the one where Ginny was sleeping in.

"Good, because I already broke the seal on mine," Ron announced with a sheepish grin on his face as he showed Hermione his letter, with the seal broken neatly in two. Immediately after saying the last word Ron half expected Hermione to scold him six ways to Sunday, but he was completely taken aback when she chuckled a bit and walked over and picked her letter up off of the desk.

"Impatient as always…," Hermione mumbled softly under her breath with a happy smile on her face as she walked back over and sat down in one of the large high backed chairs.

"What was that," Ron asked with a confused look on his face as he hopped into the nearest chair and opened up his letter. They sat together in an eerie silence for several minutes, both slowly reading and then rereading their letter, with a careful glance at the other thrown in every few moments after a particular section of the letter. As he neared the end Ron blushed deeply but couldn't help but chuckle a bit, something that caught Hermione's attention though she decided to not immediately ask him about it.

"So what does your letter say," Hermione asked with a dignified expression on her face as she was doing well to hide her curiosity as to what was in Ron's letter after reading her own.

"Nothing much…sorry for dying, look after Harry, don't let him blame himself…tell her…," Ron replied back with a nervous look on his face as he did his best to keep from blushing after almost saying too much.

"So then our letters are nearly…wait, tell her…tell her what…who is this her Ronald," Hermione started to add with a content sigh before the gears began to spin and turn in her head and her insatiable curiosity got the better of her. Ron cringed instantly under her glare before he could come up with a response.

"Got me…you know Sirius Mione…just having some fun at my expense," Ron quickly stammered out with an easily seen cheesy grin on his face before he quickly refolded his letter and jammed it into his back pocket.

"Oh no you don't Ronald Weasley…it's more than that I can tell, wait…I know what's going on here…you fancy someone," Hermione shot back, being very certain that she was not going to let Ron off the hook that easily, standing up and positioning herself directly in front of Ron's chair, pinning him into it with her intense stare.

"N…no one, really Mione…no one but you," Ron quickly stated with a slight look of panic on his face, although very clearly only thinking the last four words in his head. For a few agonizing moments it seemed that Hermione didn't believe him as she continued to stand in one place, intense glare staring him down right through to his very soul. But then she sighed and shrugged her shoulders before turning and walking away, leaving a very confused looking Ron to stare after her.

9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

The time left before they would all be going back to Hogwarts was fast approaching. Hermione had begun to spend much less time playing and correcting Ron's language and more time studying and finishing her summer homework. As per norm Ron had yet to begin his and Harry had only scribbled a few lines of his first essay. Ginny, hoping to both avoid Hermione's wrath and be free to help Harry with his homework, had started early on her homework and by the time that Hermione had forced the remaining Hogwarts students at 12 Grimmauld Place to do their summer homework she was almost done.

"Can we stop now, my hand feels like it's going to fall off," Ron moaned with a pained look on his face as he used his left hand to massage his sore right wrist, hoping that Hermione would show him a bit of mercy.

"Well then if it does you're just going to have to tape it back on because if we stop now then you'll never get your summer homework done in time for school," Hermione countered with a very stern pout on her face as she whirled around on Ron and stared him down.

"Well what if I don't want to get my summer homework done, what are you going to do then," Ron argued defiantly as he slammed his quill down onto the parchment, which caused a little glob of ink to spill over the word that he had just been trying to remember how to spell, before he stood up and glared right back at Hermione.

"Ronald Weasley you will sit down and finish your essay or else I will hex you into next week," Hermione snapped back with her hackles all riled up as she angrily strode up to Ron and glared right back at him, although with neither noticing that their noses were close to touching that had one of them taken a deep breath their noses would collide. This fact did not go unnoticed by Ginny or Harry, as the former did all that she could do to contain a fit of laughter that suddenly bubbled up from somewhere within her while the latter was torn between laughing himself or separating his two best friends before Hermione made good on her threat.

"Easy Hermione…you to get any closer and I'll start telling everyone at school that I saw you two snogging like…," Harry started to joke with an amused smirk on his face, the first one that either Hermione or Ron had seen on his face since Sirius' death, before Ron and Hermione turned and stared at him with looks on their faces as if Harry had grown a second head.

"Harry," Hermione gasped with a very shocked look on her face as she and Ron quickly took a step back away from each other, although Harry could have sworn that as she spoke her face flushed more brightly red than he had ever seen it. Meanwhile Ron's complexion had seemingly just smashed the land speed record for going from normal to Rudolph's nose red in under a second. To break up the awkwardness of the situation, and to take the focus off of himself, Ron quickly sat back down and elbowed Harry hard in the ribs, something that ended up only causing Ginny to lose her ironclad concentration and burst out laughing while Harry coughed and choked a couple of times and Hermione seemed to be at a complete loss for words as to what exactly to do.

999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

It was once again just after dark before Ron and Hermione would be in the same room together for more than a few moments. Ever since Harry's odd comments Ron had hidden himself away up in the attic of 12 Grimmauld Place, saying that he wanted to be alone if he was going to get any more homework done. Although his true purpose was that he wanted to be somewhere by himself long enough to read his letter from Sirius again and figure out if he should take the advice written therein and tell Hermione how he felt about her or act as if he had never seen the letter and let things play out how they were destined to. He hadn't noticed that he had fallen asleep until he heard someone softly whisper his name. He propped open an eye and was thankful that it was dark in the attic as he saw Hermione nervously weaving her way through all of the junk in the attic on her way to him from the trap door. Not knowing what to do, and with his heart beating like mad, Ron quickly closed his open eye and did his best to act as if he were still asleep, hoping that Hermione would see that he was asleep and turn and leave. For a few moments it looked as if she would do just that. But then she noticed that Ron had left his letter from Sirius out on the floor just a few inches from his now curled up form. Barely popping an eye open Ron could see the look of uncertainty on Hermione's face as she debated with herself whether or not to red his letter. For a moment Ron thought about waking up just then and snatching the letter away from her before she could get a hand on it. But something made him hold back when she reached down and nervously picked up his letter. Ron noticed that her hand was shaking and that she looked back over her shoulder twice before carefully unfolding the letter and turning it right side up. He hazarded opening his eyes up far enough to watch Hermione as she slowly read his letter from Sirius, her mouth silently forming out each word. When she arrived at the end Ron had to bite his bottom lip to keep from smiling as he saw Hermione blush and have to look away and compose herself lest she tear up. When she politely and carefully set his letter back down on the floor, with Ron quickly shutting his eyes and appearing to be asleep again, he saw his chance. As Hermione slowly and cautiously began to tip toe her way back towards the trap door Ron did his best to quietly stand up and follow her. Just as she was about to get back towards the warm glow of the light coming up through the trapdoor Ron rushed forward and after grabbing Hermione tightly around the waist he lifted her up off of the ground and twirled her around. She responded with a loud and scared shriek of surprise.

"Ronald Weasley, put me down this instant," Hermione exclaimed with a very nervous and shocked look on her face before Ron stopped twirling her around long enough to set her down. What Hermione hadn't counted on was becoming dizzy by Ron swinging her around and around so many times and seconds after Ron had set her down she tried to take a step but ended up crashing into Ron's chest.

"Whoa there Mione," Ron said with a nervous smile on his face as he held Hermione upright until her world stopped spinning and she had regained her balance.

"What was that for Ron, you nearly scared me to death," Hermione demanded with a very unhappy pout on her face as she wheeled around on Ron and glared up at him.

"Hey…it's your fault for reading my letter from Sirius," Ron shot back with a very confidant look on his face as his hands slipped to his hips and he glared, but only lightly, right back at Hermione. For a moment Hermione looked about ready to row like usual, but then her face slid into a full blush and she bit her bottom lip for a bit before finally speaking.

"Oh…you saw that, well I…was just making sure of something…," Hermione finally answered with a nervous smile on her face as she looked up at Ron and took a hesitant step back.

"Oh really, it must have been something very important to make Hermione Granger snoop into someone else's affairs…I wonder what it could be," Ron surmised with an amused smirk on his face even though his heart was racing a mile a minute at the thought of what Hermione's reason might be. He had a hope in his wildest dreams but at this moment he was sure that she was only trying to confirm something that Sirius had told her to do with Harry, mainly protect him and keep him from doing something stupid like blaming himself.

"None of your business," Hermione grumbled back in sharp reply as she stomped her foot and started to turn around and head for the trapdoor but was stopped by the seriousness and sincerity in Ron's voice.

"You wanted to know if Sirius told me to admit my feelings to…," Ron began to say with a very nervous and sincere tone to his voice as he slowly took a step forward and hoped that he could find the courage to continue.

"Me…," Hermione whispered very softly with a scared silly look on her face as she half turned back to look at Ron, doing her utmost to keep the tears that were threatening to pour out of her eyes from doing so.

"Yeah…before a bloody Bulgarian seeker…," Ron began to mumble back with a very scared and embarrassed look on his face as he took a step towards Hermione before she broke in.

"Viktor…," Hermione mumbled softly with a slightly unsure look on her face before she turned fully back around to face Ron, not looking up at him but instead focusing her gaze on a small hair on his shoulder.

"He's a lot smarter than I am…richer to…guess Sirius warning came a bit to late," Ron groaned with a very sad and somber pout on his face as he hung his head and looked as if her were about ready to cry.

"Only if you let it be…Ron, Viktor and I are just friends…but not like you and I, we…," Hermione started to say softly at first before she found a bit more confidence, enough to look Ron in the eye.

"Can't go five bloody minutes with rowing like…," Ron replied back with a nervous look on his face as tears subtly began to form in his eyes.

"Five year olds…yes Ron I have to admit that you can be quite childish at times," Hermione countered with a cheesy smile on her face, one that only grew as her nerves grew.

"Me…I'm not the one that poured that bowlful of mashed potatoes down the back of Ginny's robes last Christmas," Ron shot back with his trademark Weasley grin on his face as he leaned in a bit closer to Hermione.

"I thought that we had agreed to never mention that again, lest she find out that it was me and not you…," Hermione came back with a very serious look on her face at first before she couldn't keep a smile from etching itself upon her face. To further prove her point Hermione lightly poked Ron in the chest, although afterwards she left her hand there, oddly enough right over his heart. She giggled internally as she felt his heart rate quicken at her touch.

"Well it is your fault that now every time that I pick up the bowl of mashed potatoes she glares at me until I pass them off to someone else, you're a bad influence on me Mione," Ron stated with a fake look of anger on his face as he half heartedly glared down at the young woman standing now so close to him.

"I'm a bad influence…you're the one that's always getting me into trouble Ronald Weasley, not the other way around…," Hermione softly whispered back with a fake look of contention on her face as she leaned into Ron a bit more, not noticing that their noses were once again touching.

"Guess I'm just completely incorrigible," Ron mumbled back softly as he and Hermione locked their gazes and edged just a tad bit closer.

"Completely…," Hermione started to reply silently before both did the unexpected and leaned in closer until their lips met.

Twenty minutes later Lupin poked his head up into the attic to tell Ron and Hermione that Harry was looking for them but when he caught sight of them snogging in the far corner he only smiled softly and went back down the stairs, certain to not say a word to anyone until after he had talked to Ron and Hermione about it.

END OF CHAPTER 2


	6. Quite Interesting Developments

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters otherwise Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 3-QUITE INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS**

It wasn't until late into that night that Remus was able to find himself alone with both Ron and Hermione. Harry and Ginny had taken a walk, with Ginny almost having to drag Harry out of the house. Tonks had stayed and after Charlie arrived she had followed him around subtly, saying that she was going to make sure that he didn't knock anything over. The only problem with her thinking was that in the end he was forced to help her up more than once after she had knocked something over.

"Ron…Hermione, we need to talk," Lupin stated with a calm and a bit reserved look on his face as he walked into Ron and Harry's room and shut the door.

"Why…," Ron wondered with a confused and surprised look on his face before he turned and looked over at Hermione sitting on the other bed.

"Is it Voldemort, is something wrong with Harry," Hermione inquired with a worried look on her face before she flashed a similar look back over at Ron.

"No Hermione, Harry's quite alright, he and Ginny are out taking a walk and will probably be back shortly, that is why I am taking this opportunity to speak to the two of you about earlier tonight," Lupin answered with a slightly nervous smile on his face as he walked to the foot of Ron's bed and leaned on it slightly. For a split second both Ron and Hermione did their best to appear, without speaking, that neither had any idea what Remus was talking about. He decided to hurry things along rather than wait until Ron or Hermione got up the courage to answer him.

"Earlier today…damn, okay I admit it…I broke the bloody lamp, but it wasn't my fault, Tonks…," Ron began to finally say with an embarrassed look on his face as he ears turned very bright red.

"Listen Ron I don't care about the…you broke a lamp," Remus started to say with a reassuring tone to his voice before he realized what Ron had said and changed his words at the end.

"No I didn't…," Ron quickly piped up with an innocent smile on his face as he hastily scooted back a bit on his bed before Hermione cut in.

"That's not what Remus was asking Ron…please continue," She snapped softly at Ron before she turned back to Lupin and smiled sheepishly.

"Right…I wanted to talk to the two of you about what happened in the attic…the two of you…snogging…," Remus softly said, all the while trying to sound as respectful and calm as possible, before at the end a smile began to grow on his lips as he saw the effect of his words on both Ron and Hermione.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

The next morning found everyone assembled at Diagon Alley, with Ron and Harry spending most of the morning looking at the latest Quidditch supplies while Hermione and Ginny bought all of the new books that they'd need. During their trek Ron and Harry had come across George standing at the entrance to Knockturn Alley, daring first years that they wouldn't be able to take five steps down the long and twisted street before turning around and racing back out. When Hermione had found this out she had been of half a mind to storm up to George and demand that he stop mistreating first years. But Ron had acted just quickly enough and had dragged Hermione into the nearest shop, which thankfully for him turned out to be the shop that he and Harry had been looking at Quidditch supplies in earlier.

"Why did you do that Ron, George should know better than to…," Hermione started to growl with an unhappy pout on her face before Ron pushed her fully behind several stacks of brooms and pressed his lips to hers. Quickly Hermione pushed Ron back and did her best to try and keep her composure.

"What did you do that for…someone could have…," Hermione started to exclaim with a furious scowl on her face, even though Ron could see the excitement in her eyes, as she pushed Ron away.

"I had to keep you from making a scene with George, he wouldn't have actually let anything happen to any of those first years…he's not a Malfoy, and as for the kiss well…only way I could think of to shut you up…sorry if you didn't like it," Ron started to reply out loud with an odd smile on his face before he leaned in close to Hermione and whispered the last part into her ear before leaning back and setting a sad pout on his face. Hermione was quick to respond.

"No…I did, really…it's just that I thought that we were going to keep this between us…and Remus, what if someone had seen us and," Hermione quickly replied with such a look of earnest on her face that Ron knew that she had indeed liked the kiss but was worried about being caught more than anything else.

"I checked before I kissed you Mione, it's just that kissing you was the first thing that came to my mind," Ron said back with a nervous grin on his face, one that only widened considerably when he saw Hermione grin back and blush to the roots of her bushy mane.

"We should get going, Harry and Ginny will start to wonder…," Hermione finally offered with a nervous smile on her face, as for the moment she slipped her hands into Ron's and loved the warmth that they provided and a pleasant chill ran through her body when he used his thumbs to softly rub the backs of her hands.

"Yeah…wouldn't want them to do that," Ron joked back with a sly grin on his face before he leaned in close and gave Hermione another kiss. But this time before she could say another word he had let go of her hands and slipped out of the store, hailing Ginny and Harry down as they headed down the street.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Two hours after they had all returned from Diagon Alley, laden with their new schoolbooks, Ron had been walking through the house when he thought that he heard something coming from the room that Hermione and Ginny shared. He froze in place and listened again. As the seconds passed Ron was finally able to figure out what the sound was, someone was crying. He remembered Hermione as she had stepped back into the old Black Estate and couldn't remember her being anything close to tears. He knew that it wasn't his mother crying because she could never cry this quietly, like everything else that she did if Mrs. Weasley was crying everyone knew. Slowly and carefully he edged the door open, taking great pains to make sure that it didn't creak on its hinges, as he entered the room. His original summation out in the hallway had been correct, it was not Hermione that was crying softly, but instead it was Ginny. She sat, with her back to him and the door, on the edge of her bed staring at the far wall.

"Ginny," Ron asked with a concerned edge to his voice as he slowly took a full step into the room and leaned to one side just a bit.

"Go away, I don't want to talk to you," Ginny snuffled through her tears as she turned slightly to one side, just enough so that Ron could see that she was holding a letter in her hand.

"No can do Gin…," Ron replied softly with a sly grin on his face as he shut the door and then walked over to sit beside Ginny on the bed.

"I said leave," Ginny ordered again, this time her voice a bit louder and angrier, as she shifted her gaze away from Ron and back to the letter.

"Who's it from…Dean," Ron asked, unmoved by Ginny's angry outburst directed his way, as he carefully reached up and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah…no, I mean how did you…," Ginny mumbled back, partially in anger and partially in surprise at how Ron had guessed who the letter was from without being told.

"Doesn't matter right now Gin, he broke up with you didn't he…and by a letter to, didn't even have the nerve to tell you to your face," Ron answered quickly and then continued into his next question, all the while snaking his left arm around Ginny's shoulders, hoping that she wouldn't get any angrier than she already was. Ginny shot him an incredulous look before her countenance softened and the slightest traces of a smile slipped onto the edges of her lips.

"Yeah…he just handed me the letter and ran away, said that he had something important to do," Ginny finally replied softly with a somber expression on her face as she made a half hearted attempt to look Ron in the eye.

"His loss Gin…any guy that can't see how special you are needs his head examined," Ron countered with a very sincere and warm tone to his voice as he pulled Ginny close and held her as the tears began to stream down her cheeks before he gently kissed the top of her head and tried to keep from tearing up himself.

"You're not just saying that…you really mean it," Ginny asked, daring to pull away from Ron enough to look him in the eye. No matter how much Ron vehemently denied it whenever Ginny or Mrs. Weasley would cry, for reasons other than happy ones, he had always found it hard to not tear up right long with them, a sympathy cry as it were.

"To use a muggle phrase, you bet your sweet bippy…but ya know…if ya wanted me to…I could take care of him, a mallet might work," Ron mused with a sly grin on his face, as he was partially trying to cheer Ginny up but also trying to keep himself from tearing up, as he leaned back and stared off into space, looking as if he was concentrating really hard.

"Ron," Ginny shouted in shock as she stared at him for a moment before she shook her head and thought that perhaps she had misheard him.

"Course it'd have to be a really big mallet…one of those bloody circus ones…," Ron continued with a highly amused smirk on his face before he couldn't take the look that Ginny was giving him any longer and the two youngest Weasley's soon cracked up laughing.

"Do you stay up at night thinking of all of these stupid little ideas…," Ginny asked finally with a happy grin on her face as she wiped away a laugh tear.

"Nope…to busy sleeping, so you okay with the whole Dean thing…or do I need to bring Harry in here and get his opinion…," Ron began to wonder with a humorous smirk on his face as he looked skyward and appeared to be pondering the idea before Ginny's eyes grew wide and her ears went pink.

"N…no, not Harry…I'll be fine, really Ron," Ginny exclaimed with a sudden outburst of emotion as she leapt up out of her seat and spun around on Ron, staring him dead in the eye.

"If you say so Gin…," Ron started to say slowly with a sly grin on his face as he stood up and patted Ginny lightly on the shoulder on his way to the doorway, not having to look back to instinctively know how red her face was.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

After searching for some time Hermione found Ron sitting on his bed, with one leg draped over the edge and the other bent at the knee in front of him. After putting a two-hour sticking charm on the door, making sure that no one would interrupt them, Hermione slid onto the bed behind Ron. She looped her left arm around Ron's waist, rested her chin on his right shoulder so that the top of her ear connected with the bottom of his, and lazily draped her right arm overtop of his. Ron sat in a surprised silence for a few moments, feeling the pleasant sensation of her body against his, before he spoke up.

"Okay I give up, what's got you in such a good mood," Ron asked with a worrisome look on his face as he looked up from the spot on the page that he had been trying to read and glanced down at Hermione's right hand as she did her best to encircle Ron's right wrist with her fingers.

"What makes you think that I'm in a good mood, I could just be…," Hermione began to retort with a scrunched up look of fake unhappiness on her face before Ron stepped in.

"Because you didn't say anything about me actually studying…," Ron answered quickly with an only slightly nervous smile on his face as he felt Hermione swallow against his shoulder.

"Here…read this," Hermione finally stated after several moments of silence as she reached back and pulled a letter out of one of her pockets and handed it to Ron. He opened up the letter and recognized the Hogwarts insignia immediately. He only had to read down a couple of lines before he caught what had gotten Hermione so excited. "Head Girl…," Ron muttered softly in joy and admiration before Hermione let out a yelp of joy. "I knew you'd get it…my little snuggle-bunny," Ron added with a happy grin on his face as he let go of the book, pulled Hermione out from behind him until she was sitting across his lap and pulled her into a kiss.

"Open yours…," Hermione softly whispered back to him after finally coming up for air after their kiss, all the while keeping her face close enough to his that both of their visions blurred by looking each other straight in the eye.

"Why…we both know that Harry will get Head Boy, I'll be lucky to be a prefect after what we did last year…," Ron said back solemnly with an unhappy pout on his face as his chin drooped down a bit, his shoulders sagged, and he reluctantly took his Hogwarts letter from Hermione.

"How can you say that, for all you know thing could wind up just like they did last year, with Dumbledore picking us so that Harry would be free to study with Snape to keep Voldemort from controlling him," Hermione replied with a look of concern on her face as she wrapped an arm around Ron's shoulders and lightly poked him in the chest with the index finger of her other hand.

"Because I'll never measure up, or come close to competing with Harry…or Viktor," Ron mumbled back sadly in reply as he found that he could not look Hermione in the eye, something that immediately gave her cause for more concern. Her reaction was quick, if not subdued.

"Why do you think that you have to measure up to anyone…and why are you bringing Viktor into this, I thought that I told you that…," Hermione began to ask with a worried look on her face as she tried to catch Ron's gaze with her own, but was not successful.

"I know Hermione, it's just that ever since the Yule Ball I've felt like I could never measure up to Viktor…at Quidditch, emotions…it's why I always got mad when I found out that you were writing to him," Ron slowly and cautiously answered with a very emotionally pained look on his face as he stared intently at Hermione's shoes as he spoke.

"You thought that you didn't have a chance with me because…you were jealous of Viktor…," Hermione worriedly stated back to Ron as she tried to keep her heart from bursting out of her chest and fluttering up into the heavens.

"Yeah…," Ron replied solemnly with a slight nod of his head as he continued to study the tops of Hermione's shoes.

"Well that was dumb on your part Ron…honestly there never was a competition between the two of you, I knew who I loved…the one that had somehow managed to worm his way into my heart and set up a permanent residence there, no matter how hard I tried to root him out…that someone was always and forever you," Hermione uttered with a very clear and non wavering tone in her voice and look on her face as she forced Ron to look her straight on.

"And the Yule Ball…," Ron asked, still not completely convinced of what exactly Hermione was trying to tell him, as he hoped that Hermione was not about to unload a tirade on him.

"I only went with Viktor…and got mad at you…because I REALLY wanted to go to the dance with you and you didn't ask me until I was about the only girl left," Hermione answered, without taking a single second to ponder the question.

"Guess I was a real prat then huh," Ron groaned with an annoyed at himself frown on his face as he fell back down onto the bed, with his head resting on the pillow and Hermione right next to him so that they were both lying on their sides and staring each other full in the face.

"Yes you were…but you're forgiven, after all I still can't get that image of you from first year out of my head, you were sitting in the compartment with Harry, eating one sweet confection or another as fast as you could chew and you had a little patch of dirt on your nose," Hermione quipped with an amused smirk on her face as she reached up and trailed a path from Ron's forehead down to his lips with the tip of her index finger before the two giggled at their own actions.

"Well I did feel bad first year when I made that joke about you in Flitwik's class, okay not until after I found out that you had spent most of that day crying in the girls…I never meant to hurt you, it was just that…," Ron replied with a nervous and regretful expression on his face as he focused his gaze on Hermione's nose, or at least he tried to.

"I know Ron, I forgave you for the joke when you and Harry saved me from the troll, that experience kind of put a lot of things into perspective, showed me what was really important," Hermione came back with softly as the two interlocked the fingers of his left hand and her right so that their palms were pressed firmly together.

"Speaking of relationships…Dean Thomas dumped Ginny, git didn't even have the guts to tell it to her face, just gave her a letter while she was in Diagon Alley, she was in a right state till I came along," Ron recanted with a serious and somewhat worried look on his face as he locked gazes with Hermione and secretly hoped that he wouldn't be punished to much for sharing that secret with someone.

"And now," Hermione asked with a very worried look on her face as it was easy to tell that now that Ron had opened his big mouth about Ginny and her ex that he was in the entire way.

"Well I think she's better, I offered to off him with a giant mallet, you know one of those circus ones…she laughed at that, but then when I mentioned asking Harry about what we should do she made it clear that she didn't want Harry to be any part of this," Ron answered with a nervous and concerned look on his face as he used his thumb to gently rub the back of Hermione's hand.

"Do you think that she still fancies him, Harry I mean, it would explain why she didn't want him to know…and somehow I'm doubting that she wanted you to be telling me either," Hermione concluded with a very sure look on her face as a candle on the other side of the room burnt out.

"Uh yeah…she'll probably want to hex me into next week if she ever finds out, so for my safety Mione, do ya think that we can keep this between you and me," Ron asked with a nervous look on his face as he anxiously glanced around the room before returning his gaze to Hermione's face.

"Okay, but you didn't answer my question about whether or not you think that Ginny still fancies Harry…and don't stall Ronald Weasley, I know when you're lying, your ears always turn red," Hermione shot back with a sly grin on her face as with her foot she edged the book that Ron had been reading off of the bed, resounding in a loud thud when it hit the floor.

"Probably…Ginny's like a bloody …when she's got something in mind that she wants she doesn't let it go, ever…somehow I doubt that she's given up on Harry, she probably just didn't want anyone to know about it, lie low…," Ron replied with a deep in thought look on his face as he scrunched it up in a funny way and Hermione was forced to use her free hand to brush some of his hair off of his face to see the excited gleam in his eyes.

"Well as both Ginny's friend and your girlfriend I am strongly advising you to talk to Harry, don't let him know the details, but find out what he thinks about Ginny, who knows maybe with a little luck we can solve two of our problems, lifting Harry's spirits and keeping Ginny from breaking anything…she'd always break something after breaking up with whatever guy that she was dating at the time…despite her bravado I believe that to a point she actually cared about each of them," Hermione said with a very serious and slowly growing look of hope on her face before she explained at the end after seeing the confused look on Ron's face.

"Will do Mione, now I think that there's something that I need to do," Ron said with a slight nod of his head before he fished his Hogwarts letter out from underneath his left hip and after some effort pulled the letter out and read it, his face betraying nothing.

"Well…," Hermione asked with an impatient and anxious look on her face as she inched a bit closer to him and looked like she was on the edge of her seat figuratively speaking.

"You know, Malfoy's going to have to be real careful this year…," Ron began to say with an emotionless look on his face before he spun his wrist around and turned the letter to Hermione so that she could read it. Seconds later she let out a shriek of joy and flung herself at him, kissing him in joy and excitement before the two ended up accidentally rolling off of the other side of the bed and crashing awkwardly, and painfully, to the floor.

END OF CHAPTER 3


	7. Developments

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 4-DEVELOPMENTS**

"What did you do to the door," Harry asked with a confused look on his face as he walked into the room that he shared with Ron, after spending the past hour trying various jinx and hex removal spells to get it to open.

"I placed a spell on the door for two hours," Hermione answered with a sad pout on her face, instantly wishing that her spell had lasted longer, while she sat on Harry's bed with her back to him.

"Why would you do that," Ginny asked as she followed Harry into the room and stood by the door, keeping an awkward distance from Harry.

"So that she could make sure that I got some homework done, bloody woman…," Ron grumbled with his best look of annoyance etched upon his face, before Hermione shot him a dirty glare. He did his best to tell her with his eyes that he was sorry and only said it to appease Harry and Ginny. Ginny giggled at the thought before she spoke up.

"Ooh Ron…better watch it, or else you'll find a spider in your bed," Ginny began with a laughing smile on her face as she aimed the smile directly at Ron.

"You wouldn't dare," Ron shot back with an over the top glare on his face as he stood up to his full height and towered down over the much shorter Ginny.

"Try me," Ginny snapped back with a look of sheer devilish glee in her face as she continued to stare down her brother while Hermione looked to Harry with a confused look on her face, hoping that soon the two would not bear witness to one of the worst Weasley tussles of all time.

"Easy you two, hey Ron…can uh, I talk to you for a second…in private," Harry started to say with an almost scolding tone to his face before he became nervous and nodded his head towards the door after getting an odd look from both Hermione and Ginny.

"Sure Harry," Ron said enthusiastically as he stood up and followed Harry out of the room, though not before casting Hermione a curious glance, long enough of one to let him know that his earlier comment had been forgotten.

"Have you talked to Ginny today," Harry finally asked softly after he and Ron were out of the room and walking slowly down the hallway a ways.

"Yeah…why," Ron replied, not really thinking much of it, as he stopped walking and leaned back up against the wall, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Was she okay, I mean I know Dean gave her a letter and the last I saw of her before I came to find you two she looked pretty sad…I don't know, I'm just worried about her," Harry slowly and nervously said as he ruffled his hair up more with his hands, almost as if he expected to come out of this with his hair calmed instead of its usual unruliness.

"She…no Harry she wasn't okay, Dean broke up with her," Ron said softly as he started to lie but then changed his mind and admitted the truth, already preparing himself for whatever tirade he'd receive for the act later on from either Hermione or Ginny, possibly both. Ron's face turned into a frown as he watched the expression on Harry's face change from one of general concern for a friend to one of worry, topping off with Harry's gaze leaving the small picture of a tree on the wall and drifting back to the door of his and Ron's room.

"Should I talk to her…," Harry asked, his voice full of worry, as Ron looked on in shock and pushed away from the wall.

"Harry…why all of the concern for Ginny, did you have another vision from Voldemort," Ron asked, nervously at first, before he took his friend by the shoulders and made Harry look him in the eye.

"N…no, it's just…something that Sirius wrote in his letter to me…about not letting the fight against Voldemort make me forget all of the good things in life, to quit pushing people away to protect them…you know, let someone in," Harry answered with a slightly sheepish smile on his face before Ron pulled his hands back and shook his head.

"And you've decided that Ginny's that…someone," Ron asked, his nerves racing his heart to the finish line, as he turned so that he stood exactly shoulder to shoulder with Harry and the two boys stared down the hallway at their room.

"Yes…no, maybe…I'm not sure yet, but I just don't want her to get far enough away so that if she is the one that I miss…," Harry started to answer with a contemplative frown on his face before the door to their room opened and Ginny stepped out, smiled at them and walked off down the hallway to the right.

"Talk to her Harry…but whatever you do, I swear on my last galleon that if you hurt her Voldemort won't be the one that kills you," Ron stated plainly under his breath as Harry swallowed hard and nodded his head before following after Ginny.

"What was that all about," Hermione asked softly as she came to stand next to Ron, after waiting for Harry to round the corner and get far enough away.

"Ginny…he asked me if she was okay, something about what Sirius wrote him in his letter," Ron replied softly, his gaze still locked onto the end of the hallway that Harry and Ginny had walked around, as he pulled Hermione's hands into his.

"Do you think he…fancies her," Hermione asked with a slightly nervous look on her face as she turned to Ron and raised her eyebrows.

"I reckon it's possible that he could fancy her Mione, but I'm not sure if she still does, sure she had a huge crush on him second year but…that was so long ago," Ron answered with a curious look on his face before he changed the subject. "Why do you think that Dumbledore made you Head Girl and me Head Boy, do ya think that he knew something that we didn't," Ron asked with a deep in thought smile on his face as he and Hermione walked down the hallway towards the boys' room.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"Hey Ginny…wait up," Harry shouted with a hurried look on his face as he tried to catch up to the youngest Weasley as she made her way back to the room that she and Hermione occupied.

"I don't want to talk about it Harry, go away," Ginny replied with a sad frown on her face as she continued on her way, finally getting to the doorway.

"Why, because you don't want me to see you cry," Harry asked with an innocent intention behind it but instantly regretted ever asking when Ginny flashed him a very angry glare and looked to be on the verge of hexing him. But instead of that her glare faltered before she dropped her gaze down to the floor.

"No…it's just that, you won't understand…," Ginny finally replied with a scared and nervous look on her face as she stared at the buttons on the front of Harry's shirt rather than looking him squarely in the face.

"You sure…you know people have said that I'm a good listener," Harry weakly chimed in with a nervous half smile on his face as he was fishing for something to say to try and get Ginny to talk to him.

"Right Harry…that's why everyone comes to you with their problems, Merlin…I swear Harry sometimes you can just be so thick," Ginny snapped back with an angry scowl on her face as she balled up her fists and momentarily looked about ready to deck Harry.

"Come again…look Ginny I'm sorry that you and Dean didn't work out and just wanted to make sure that you were okay…make sure that we were still friends…," Harry snapped back sharply at first, causing a small amount of fear to well up into Ginny's eyes, before Harry forced himself to calm down and let worry stream into his voice.

"Still friends…why wouldn't we be," Ginny asked with a confused and nervous look on her face as she was finally able to look Harry in the face for more than two seconds without quickly having to look away.

"I don't…it's just that after what happened last year at the Ministry of Magic…," Harry started to answer with a very sad and nervous frown on his face, as he felt tears beginning to come to his eyes, before he was quieted instantly by a soft hand on his.

"You pulled away from everyone," Ginny quickly retorted with a sad and unhappy frown on her face as she walked away from Harry and sat down on a bench just outside of her and Hermione's room, smoothing out the folds in her skirt to try and calm herself down.

"Yeah…I did, but I never meant to hurt anyone, I was just so angry, hurt, confused…," Harry started to try to answer with a myriad of emotions on his face before Mrs. Weasley came up the stairs and interrupted.

"Oi now, you two should get to bed, the train leaves at eleven tomorrow and if you all don't get to bed soon then you won't be able to wake up in time…speaking of which Ginny where's Ron," Mrs. Weasley interjected with a loud voice as she placed her hands on her hips and looked squarely ahead at Harry and Ginny before Ron and Hermione rounded the corner, having just let go of each others hands after hearing Harry's voice.

"Here mum, is there something wrong," Ron asked with a concerned look on his face as he stuffed his Hogwarts letter back into its envelope and stared down at his mother.

"Wrong…no, it's just that the four of you should get to bed if you're going to get up in time to catch the train to Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley answered with a slightly nervous smile on her face as she looked back and forth between Harry and Ginny on the bench and Ron and Hermione standing oddly close together.

"You're right Mrs. Weasley, I really should owl my parents and tell them the good news, they'll be so happy," Hermione announced with a very proud smile on her face before she turned on her heels and raced off to retrieve Hedwig.

"She got Head Girl," Ron informed the others with a slightly embarrassed smile on his face as he half turned and watched Hermione race away.

"Good for her, she deserves it," Harry added with a happy and proud smile on his face as he leaned back on the bench.

"But then who's Head Boy, knowing our luck it'll be Draco and…," Ginny started to groan as she slumped forward and dropped her head into her hands, loathing the thought of a year at Hogwarts with Draco Malfoy as Head Boy.

"He'll give us one detention after another," Harry chimed in with an equally dismal expression on his face as he looked as if he wanted to comfort Ginny but thought better of it, or got scared, and did nothing.

"Well then luckily for us ole Dumbledore had his wits about him and didn't make Draco Head Boy," Ron interjected with a somewhat amused but also nervous smile on his face as he crossed his arms and tried not to smile to big.

"So then you know who the Head Boy is Ronald," Mrs. Weasley declared with an odd look on her face as she walked up to her youngest son and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"That I do…," Ron replied softly with a slowly growing grin on his face, as it looked like he was doing his best to hold in his joy before bursting.

"No way…no way would Dumbledore make you Head Boy," Ginny stated with a very surprised, but inwardly pleased, smile on her face as she lifted her head up out of her hands and stared oddly at Ron.

"Well he did, for some strange reason," Ron countered with an optimistic and almost giddy smile on his face as he looked back down at Ginny and Harry for a moment before looking up at his mother.

"Oh my little Ronnie's Head Boy, I…this is…," Mrs. Weasley started to shout with an overjoyed smile on her face before her emotions overwhelmed her and she pulled Ron up into just about the tightest hug that he had ever received as tears of joy began to flow down her cheeks.

"Way to go Ron," Harry shouted as well with a very happy smile on his face, his state of melancholy momentarily forgotten, as he was next to congratulate Ron on being named Head Boy after Mrs. Weasley finally let go of him.

"Guess this means that you and a certain Head Girl will be spending an awful lot of time together…," Ginny added with a teasing grin on her face before she jumped up from her seat and gave Ron a warm hug, not caring when first Ron's ears and then his entire face went beet red.

"Shut up Ginny," Ron snapped back, more out of embarrassment than anger, as Ginny just grinned even more.

"Don't talk to your sister like that Ronald," Mrs. Weasley interjected with a softly angry frown on her face before she nodded her head in the direction of Ron and Harry's room.

"Yeah…uh goodnight Ron…Harry," Ginny started to add to her mother's words before Mrs. Weasley cast a baleful eye her way and she blushed deeply before waving to the two and disappearing into her and Hermione's room.

"Goodnight…," Both Ron and Harry said in unison with unsure smiles on their faces before they turned and walked back towards their room.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

They had barely made it to the correct platform in time. More than one first year, like Harry in his first year, had no clue where platform nine and three quarters was. About half a dozen of them stood in a group on the landing between platforms nine and ten, seemingly hoping that one of them knew something. When he had first seen this Ron had started to make the first years situation into something of a joke but a stern clearing of Hermione's throat made him think otherwise. With a grace beyond her years, or so Ron thought, Hermione politely guided the confused first years through the gateway and onto platform nine and three quarters. After getting a crushing hug from his mother, and a very stern warning about behaving, Ron followed Ginny and Harry through the gateway and soon stood staring up at the train that would take him back to Hogwarts.

"I knew this was all going to well…," Harry said into Ron's ear as he pointed down the platform to where Ron could see Draco shoving his way through a crowd of first years, with his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, trailing not far behind.

"Bloody git," Ron growled with an angry scowl on his face as he started to set Pig's cage down onto his trolley and step forward but stopped when he felt a gentle hand on his arm.

"Easy Ron, you're Head Boy don't forget, you can't be fighting Malfoy at the drop of a hat, even if he does deserve it," Hermione stated with an unhappy and hopefully soothing look on her face and tone to her voice as she looked Ron in the eyes and silently begged him to stay calm.

"But Mione he…," Ron began to counter with a begging look on his face before Hermione guessed what he was thinking and stepped in.

"Don't worry Ron, Draco will get what's coming to him, now come on we'd better get on board," Hermione quickly stated with a confidant and certain look on her face as she pulled her hand off of Ron's arm only to use that same hand to pick Crookshanks' carrying case off of the top of her trolley. Ron begrudgingly calmed down and followed after her, not wanting to get into a row with her before they even got to Hogwarts.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

The actual ride there was mostly uneventful, aside from some rather snide comments from Draco about Ron and Hermione being named Head Boy and Head Girl. When Ron and Hermione said the password, boiling fish, and entered their suite both stopped and stared at their surroundings. They stood in what could be described as a small mudroom, with hooks on their wall for their cloaks and to hang their bags, benches to sit on while pulling shoes on and off and even a small mirror that Ron guessed was for one to make a final check on their appearance before setting out for the day. After the small mudroom came a room that reminded Ron of the Burrow, or at least what the living room of the Burrow could be if his parents had more money. A roaring fire took up a good chunk of one of the walls, with a thick rug, coffee table, and very comfortable looking couch and set of chairs encircling it. The rest of the room was a little dark, being lit only by a great many candles. Had she been able to form words at that time Hermione would have commented on how the room seemed quite romantic. As they walked further into the room they discovered that on the opposite wall from the fireplace stood a large bookcase that stretched from the ceiling to the floor, filled with books that Hermione hadn't seen in the library and would have pulled one down had Ron not pulled her along in the room to the right. That room turned out to be Ron's room as Pig sat in his cage on the bed with the rest of Ron's belongings arranged accordingly. The room was about the same size as the one that he had shared with Harry and the others the previous year but now felt somehow empty with just one bed. Hermione marveled at the size of the bed, imagining how many different books, parchments, and assorted other materials that she could lay out on that large of a bed. Ron however felt like he'd get lost in the middle somewhere as the bed was at least twice the size of his back at the Burrow. Other than the bed the room consisted of a small bookcase filled with books, a caged roost for Pig, a desk with a comfortable looking chair nearby, what looked like a hamper, and a large chest of drawers that sat next to a large closet.

Fighting off the almost overwhelming urge to hop onto the bed and rest Ron let Hermione lead him into the bathroom that was through the other door that led into and out of Ron's room. The bathroom was a sight to behold, all polished and shining white tile with a shower built into the far wall and a rather sizeable bathtub rising up as an island in the middle of the room with steps leading up to it, and two sinks that sat below a long mirror that ran the length of the room. There looked to be more than enough towels, uniquely enough each one was monogrammed with the Gryffindor coat of arms on them, as was every odd tile in the bathroom and on each door. A toilet sat against the wall just opposite the sink and mirrors. Fighting off the urge to stop and smell the scented candles, soaps, and lotions Hermione made her way into her room, leaving Ron behind in the bathroom, and found that it was almost identical to Ron's, except that instead of a caged roost there was a large pet bed for Crookshanks to sleep in lying right next to the bed.

"I hope that you like what you see," Professor McGonagall said with a hopeful smile on her face as she stepped into the bathroom and smiled down at Ron before Hermione joined them.

"Yeah…it's bigger than the Burrow," Ron replied with a slightly astonished, but pleasantly so, expression on his face as he looked around the bathroom, doing his best not to blush.

"It's wonderful Professor," Hermione added with a happy smile on her face as she walked up to Ron and lightly elbowed him in the side in hopes that he would calm down.

"Good, Albus and I thought that the two of you would, now there's just one more thing that I must tell you before dinner, tomorrow night at six o'clock the two of you are to meet Professor Dumbledore and myself in his office for a private dinner…just the four of us, it's customary every year for the Head Boy and Head Girl to dine with us so that we may discuss the upcoming year," McGonagall said with a pleased, but still serious, look on her face as she clapped her hands together and took a deep breath.

"We'll be there…I can't wait," Hermione replied with an optimistic and eager smile on her face, which left Ron no doubt that she had already begun dreaming up new rules and regulations for the students, before she leaned into Ron slightly.

"Of course Ms. Granger, no doubt you already have several promising ideas as to how better run the school and we will have time to talk about them tomorrow night, but for now I will let you spend some time with your boyfriend," McGonagall answered back with at first a serious look on her face before her lips broke into a warm and congratulatory smile before she turned and left the bathroom, leaving a stunned Hermione and Ron behind.

END OF CHAPTER 4


	8. An Odd First Day

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 5-AN ODD FIRST DAY**

"Do you think she knows…," Ron wondered with a confused and worried look on his face as he paced back and forth in the living room of the Head's suite.

"Of course she knows Ron, I'd think that the fact that she knew would be quite obvious by what she said," Hermione growled impatiently back at him from her seat on the couch as she crossed her arms and leaned back.

"But how could she know…I didn't tell her…did you," Ron wondered aloud with a confused and worried look on his face as Hermione instantly gasped in shock at his stupidity and then sent one of her worst glares his way. "Oh…uh, sorry Hermione," Ron finally mumbled softly, after several seconds of thought, with a very deep blush on his face as he hung his head and moped, allowing his hair to fall down in front of his face.

"You're forgiven…this time, maybe Lupin told her, or perhaps it was simply a process of elimination, maybe she's watched how we act around each other over the years and compared that to how we act around others and…," Hermione said with a nervous and slightly scared look on her face as she looked up at Ron and couldn't help but get taken in by his sad puppy dog pose, one that she had grown to love.

"Well when you went to fetch Hedwig to send that letter to your parents Ginny did kid me about since I'm Head Boy that I'd be spending a lot of time with you…maybe… everyone else knew that we fancied each other and were just waiting for one or both of us to realize it," Ron countered with a deep in thought frown on his face as he crossed his arms and shook his head before leaning lightly up against the mantle.

"That doesn't make any sense Ron, if they had known that we had fancied each other for that long then the would have said something…right," Hermione countered with a deep in thought frown on her face as she stood up and walked over to the fireplace, sadly staring into the flames.

"You'd think, then again with us rowing morning, noon, and night maybe they just got fed up with it all and decided to let us work it out," Ron said with a look of deep thought on his face as he pushed off of the wall and came to stand just to Hermione's right.

"I feel so foolish now, thinking about what they must have felt every time that we…," Hermione began, with a sad look on her face, as she rubbed her tired eyes.

"Tore into each other…yeah, me to…," Ron added with a somber frown on his face as he knelt down, picked up the poker from its place by the fire and moved the logs about a bit to stoke up the fire.

"Ron, it's a magical fireplace, you don't have to stoke up the logs like that," Hermione corrected Ron with her usual know it all tone of voice as she gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I know…it just helps me to calm down," Ron replied with a deep breath before he slowly let it out, put the poker back in its place by the fire, and then stood up and dusted his hands off.

"Sorry," Hermione said with a look of regret on her face as she pulled her hand back and ran it awkwardly through her hair.

"Forget about it…we should probably get going, they've probably already started eating," Ron said with a bored and hungry frown on his face as he stood up and turned to Hermione.

"You're right…let's go, we have to…," Hermione started to say with an unhappy frown on her face as she began to make her way to the door before Ron pulled her back into a warm embrace and soon had kissed her immediate fears away.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"Do you see them," Ginny asked with only a slightly worried look on her face as she sat up in her seat and looked around the large room, hoping to catch sight of either Ron or Hermione.

"For the fifteenth time Ginny, no…I don't see them, now calm down, they'll be here…Ron never misses a meal," Harry replied with a frustrated sigh as he crossed his arms on top of the table and tried his best to return to being as miserable as he had been before Ginny had begun asking him again and again if he knew where Ron and Hermione were.

"You're right Harry I don't," Ron announced proudly with a wide grin on his face as he sat down beside Harry while Hermione sat down beside Ginny on the other side of the table.

"Where have two been, they're just about to start," Ginny demanded with an angry scowl on her face as she glared only lightly at Hermione beside her before she very angrily sent her glare across the table at Ron.

"We had Heady Boy and Head Girl business to attend to, sorry if you thought that we weren't coming," Hermione answered with a sincere look of apology on her face, as she turned halfway to Ginny before she cast Ron a quick glance and then went silent.

"It's okay, Ginny just wanted to make sure that Ron didn't miss a meal," Harry chimed in with a slightly amused smirk on his face before the first years were lead into the great hall, sorted into their appropriate houses by the sorting hat, and then all seated. Dumbledore gave his usual speech, introducing several of the teachers even though everyone but the first years knew who they were, and finally his speech came to rest on whom the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher was. Every ear in the school sat rapt with nervous attention as they awaited the identity of their new teacher. Chatter erupted immediately from the students before from the Gryffindor table there arose a cheer, and a seething snicker from the Slytherin table. Taking his seat next to Hagrid, looking well rested and better than the last time that Harry had seen him was Remus Lupin. After the shock at dinner everyone returned to their separate houses, with Ron and Hermione following Harry and Ginny back to the Gryffindor common room rather than immediately return to their rooms.

"Gotta say that was a surprise…I mean, why didn't he tell us," Ginny wondered aloud with a still somewhat startled expression on her face as she plopped down into the chair nearest to the fire.

"He must have had his reasons…right Hermione," Ron replied with a sleepy look on his face as he sat down at the far end of the couch.

"Right…we'll ask him what they were tomorrow though, it's to late tonight," Hermione confirmed with a small yawn as she slipped down onto the couch right next to Ron before she started to lay her head on his shoulder. She realized what she was doing before it was to late and did her best to make it look as if she had seen a hair or something on Ron's shoulder and was only leaning in to get a better look before removing it. Luckily for her Ron did indeed have a hair on his shoulder, and so she plucked it off and flicked it to the floor. Harry looked for a moment like he was going to make a comment about Hermione's action but in the end he only shrugged his shoulders and yawned.

"This year ought to be interesting, Snape will probably give the four of us double detention out of spite," Ron added with an unhappy frown on his face as he leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling sadly.

"He wouldn't, that would be against the rules…and as much as Snape has it in for us he still follows the rules," Hermione stated confidently, as if she were reading it straight from a brochure, before Harry stepped in.

"Could be…although Snape was a Death Eater remember, to me that's more than a little outside of the rules," Harry differed with a thoughtful frown on his face as he scratched the arm of his chair and stared into the fire, all while keeping his voice low enough so that only Ginny, Ron, and Hermione could hear him.

"Even so we shouldn't jump to any foolish conclusions before we know more, I'm not exactly sure why Mr. Lupin has become the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher once more but I do believe that he has his reasons and will…," Hermione said with a serious and contemplative look on her face as she lightly tapped her bottom lip with the tip of her index finger, an act that for some reason made Ron want to snog her right then and there. But remembering the promise that he and Hermione had made he steeled his will and rolled his eyes in mock frustration and stared off into the fire.

"Tell us when he's good and bloody ready," Harry grumbled with an unhappy scowl on his face before he balled up his fists, pounded the back of the couch, and then without looking at anyone in particular walked out of the common room and up the stairs.

"Was it something I said…," Ron wondered aloud with a concerned look on his face while Ginny stood up and stared off into space after where Harry had just trekked.

"I don't think so…he's just…," Hermione began to say softly to Ron, as unintentionally her hand sought his out before she gave it a squeeze, before Ginny broke in.

"I'm worried about him, he's been acting weird ever since Sirius died…why can't he see that it wasn't his fault, why can't he see…," Ginny asked with a very worried and guilty expression on her face as she fought back the tears that were valiantly trying to gush down her cheeks.

"You…," Ron answered with a nervous look at Hermione before he stood up and had just made it to his feet when Ginny whirled around on him, looking as if she were about to smack him for daring to admit openly what was in her heart. But she stopped just short of that and stormed up the stairs to her dorm, leaving Ron and Hermione now all alone in the common room.

"You handled that rather well Ronald," Hermione joked with a sarcastic expression on her face as Ron turned back to look at her for an explanation.

"Handled what…I didn't mean to make her mad, I just said what I thought that she meant and…," Ron countered with a confused look of disbelief on his face before his shoulders slumped and he shook his head in frustration.

"She's not mad at you Ron, she's mad at herself…at Harry, I believe that she does still fancy him, quite a bit really, but she had convinced herself that it was just a simple crush up until now," Hermione said with a tired look on her face as she stood up and walked over to Ron, trying to get him to look her in the eye.

"Then why doesn't she just say so," Ron wondered aloud with a somber frown on his face as he lifted his head up and glanced over at the stairs that led up to the girl's dorm rooms.

"Why didn't you tell me that you fancied me, instead of rowing with me for a little over five years," Hermione asked quickly back, instead of answering Ron's question, as she laid a hand on his shoulder and tried not to yawn.

"Because it was easier than admitting to you what I was feeling and possibly being rejected for someone else," Ron finally answered with a very glum pout on his face as he finally turned back and looked at Hermione.

"Good answer, now let's go to bed before Filch catches us being out after curfew," Hermione added with a large yawn before she allowed Ron to pull her close and lightly kiss the top of her head.

"Okay, but one of these days you're going to have to explain all of this to me," Ron whispered softly down to Hermione as she was doing her best to simply stay awake.

"Deal," Hermione softly whispered back into Ron's chest before falling asleep. The next morning she would wake up to find herself lying against Ron on the couch in their living room, apparently after Ron had carried her back to their suite.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

The next day classes went smoothly, except for the occurrence during afternoon potions when Neville had forgotten to include the essence of stinkfoot in his potion and it had exploded, turning everyone's hair white. Lavender and Parvati had immediately shrieked in horror and were it not for Snape and his intense glower the two would have immediately gone running off to Madam Pomfrey and begun to beg her to change their hair back. Hermione had scowled at her hair and tried to calm it down but soon gave up after whispered into her about an idea that he had for later on that day, an idea that involved just the two of them. Ginny had done her best to hold in a fit of laughter when she first saw them, but soon Harry all but told her to let it out. Ron had plastered an odd smile on his face while she laughed but when she finished he had double-checked that she did not have a camera or any way of preserving the image of himself, Harry, and Hermione with white hair. He did this mainly to keep such an image from ever having the opportunity of falling into the twins' hands, because if it ever were to have then he never would have heard the end of it.

"Sorry Ron…but you look so funny, I just wish that I had a camera," Ginny giggled with a humorous smile on her face as she took a step back and took in the sight that was the golden trio.

"Well just be glad that you don't, because if you dared to take a picture then I'd have to throw you in the lake," Ron countered with a daring scowl on his face as he marched up to Ginny and stood glare to glare with her.

"Ron," Hermione exclaimed, partially in both contempt and annoyance, before she stomped her foot and did her best to drag Ron away from his youngest and only sister.

"Settle down Ron, Defense Against The Dark Arts is next…I want to get there early and ask Lupin why he's teaching again," Harry stated with a very driven and certain look on his face before he turned and started off down the long hallway, not checking as to whether or not Ron and Hermione were close behind him.

"He's scaring me," Ginny said with a very worried look on her face as she watched Harry walk away until he disappeared around a far corner.

"Me to, you should talk to him Ron," Hermione agreed with a nervous and slightly worried look on her face as she leaned over and lightly bumped Ron with her shoulder.

"Why me," Ron shouted in surprise and some disapproval as he lurched back away from the two girls and did his best to remain calm.

"Because…you're his friend," Hermione answered finally, after having stood in front of him in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"So are you, and you're better at this type of thing than I am Mione," Ron shot back with a scared silly expression on his face as he turned to face Hermione.

"True…but he listens to you more than he does to me, and besides that if you have to you could always force him to listen to you, I could never…," Hermione replied with a nervous look on her face as she laid out her reasons why.

"I could…," Ginny announced with a very fervent and certain scowl on her face before she noticed the odd looks that she was receiving from both Ron and Hermione and quickly took off down another hallway towards the stairs that led to her next class.

"Is it me Mione…or are Harry and Ginny…," Ron began to say with a concerned edge to his face as after watching Ginny leave he turned back to Hermione, who nervously slid her free hand into his, but only after checking to make sure that they were alone.

"Acting more and more oddly with each passing day…no Ron, you're not alone, but we don't have time for that now, come on," Hermione agreed with a nervous look on her face before she started to hurry off down the hallway after Harry, at first nearly dragging Ron behind her. They arrived at the classroom to find a healthier looking Remus Lupin calmly sitting behind his desk at the front of the room. Harry had already taken a seat beside Neville so Ron and Hermione quickly slid into the only open seat left available to them, the one dead center in the front of the room. Ron began to groan but sat down reluctantly and stared at his book. He wondered if he would even really need it seeing as how the last time that Lupin had been teacher he had for the most part gone his own way.

"Alright everyone, welcome to Defense Against The Dark Arts, and I am Professor Lupin, now since most of you already know me or took my class a couple of years ago or so we can skip the introductions…," Lupin began with an eager smile on his face before the class got into full swing. Unfortunately for Ron they stayed in the book for most of the lesson. At the end they were given the assignment of writing a two foot long essay on the mystical creature of their choice. By the smile that spread across her face the instant that Lupin finished giving the assignment Ron was sure that Hermione already had most, if not all, of the report already written in her head. He however was not so fortunate and when the class ended he was about ready to beg Hermione to help him with his when she tugged on his sleeve hard enough to get his attention.

"We should get back to our rooms and get ready for tonight," Hermione stated with a very nervous tone to her voice as she collected her books.

"But what about Harry, shouldn't we be here with him when he asks Lupin why he's back," Ron countered with as he started to slip his sad puppy dog face on but was stopped when Hermione answered quickly enough.

"Harry will tell us when he's good and ready, besides I think that Lupin would rather talk to Harry without us hanging around, and you need to get started on your essay so that you don't have to cram the night before it's due," Hermione stated with a very certain and unwavering look on her face as she stood up from her seat and lightly glared down at Ron.

"Fine…I don't have a topic for my essay yet, guess I could do it on something simple like garden gnomes," Ron mumbled in defeat as he slowly collected his books and stood up.

"You should try and do better than that Ron, how about we ask Hagrid if he has a creature that you could write your report about," Hermione shot back with an optimistic smile on her face before Ron had to hurry up to follow her out of the classroom and down the long hallway, just as a nervous Harry stood up and approached the front desk.

END OF CHAPTER 5


	9. Dinner With Dumbledore

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

Gwyll-I hope that this chapter answers your questions about me making Ron and Hermione Head Boy and Head Girl, and thank you for reviewing my story. 

**CHAPTER 6-DINNER WITH DUMBLEDORE**

Ron nervously adjusted the collar of his dress robes, hoping that he had gotten himself to look presentable when compared to what he guessed that Hermione would look like. The twins had bought him new dress robes after in his mind the debacle that was the Yule Ball in his fourth year. He had wondered where they had gotten the money to afford such nice robes but then it all made sense after Harry revealed that he had given the twins his winnings from the TriWizard Tournament. Now he stood by the couch in their Head suite's living room, twirling one of the tassels of a rather fancy pillow around again and again, absolutely dreading the meeting that was to come. He surmised that Hermione was sitting in front of her mirror primping and preening, trying to make everything just right. All the while trying to jot down a list of ways that she thought that Hogwarts could be improved. No matter how hard he tried Ron could not come up with a way, in his eyes, that Hermione could be any more beautiful than he already thought that she was. He flung the pillow back onto the couch and was just about to reach down, grab the poker, and stir up the logs needlessly again when Hermione's door opened and she walked out, totally engrossed in a parchment that she was busily going over.

"I…I…I…," Ron tried to say with a pleasantly startled smile on his face before his smiled enveloped his entire face and laid bare his true feelings about how Hermione looked to him. After mentally checking a couple more items off of her list Hermione looked up, saw the look on Ron's face, and blushed a deep red right down to her roots. Walking slowly forward Ron gently tugged the parchment away from Hermione he thought for a moment and then tossed it into the fire. "Don't worry Mione, you committed them all to memory anyway right," Ron stated with a slightly scared look on his face as he turned back to Hermione and spoke up before she could protest his taking and burning of the parchment.

"But…," Hermione started to protest with a slightly hurt pout on her face before Ron made up the space between them and placing a quick kiss on her lips.

"I said don't worry about it, besides if you forget anything you'll remember it before we even get past the appetizer," Ron said with a sly grin on his face as he interlaced his fingers with Hermione's and the two Head's tried their very best to keep from blushing madly.

"But what if they ask to see it in written form, I had it all down so neatly…and I still have to write my essay for McGonagall after the meeting," Hermione whined with a nervous look on her face as she plopped down on the couch and looked up at Ron.

"That's what you're so worked up about…please Hermione, you and I both know that you could write that essay in under thirty minutes and still get a perfect score, so ya wanna tell me what's really bugging you…or do I have to guess," Ron said back with a slightly frustrated sigh as he plopped down on the couch beside Hermione and took her left hand into his.

"It's just that Harry…," Hermione began to say with a scared look on her face as she stared off into the fire.

"Oh…," Ron mumbled softly with a defeated and saddened look on his face as he quickly looked at the look on Hermione's face and then looked away, trying to hide his emotions.

"Don't give me that look Ronald Weasley, I'm just worried about him…and Ginny, I know that they're both hurting…and it hurts me that they're hurting," Hermione stated back sharply at first before her tone softened and she leaned into Ron a bit more, using her right hand to make him look at her.

"Me to…but what are we supposed to do about it, we can't just make either of them feel better, we have to get Harry to open up and actually talk to someone about what happened in the Ministry of Magic and get Ginny to settle down before she has a heart attack," Ron said back with an unhappy and worried look on his face as he slid his arm around Hermione's shoulders and held her close.

"We really have a hard road in front of us don't we…," Hermione whispered sadly back to Ron with a sour pout on her face as she absentmindedly began to play with the tassels on the pillow that Ron had earlier thrown onto the couch.

"To say the least, I mean I'm still surprised that Dumbledore named us Head Boy and Head Girl, usually only seventh years are selected," Hermione agreed with a nervous and somewhat scared look on her face as she leaned her head back and looked Ron squarely in the face.

"I reckon that Dumbledore has his reasons, he must think that we can do the job…or perhaps he knows something about Voldemort that we don't and believes that Harry will need a place away from everyone this year," Ron said with an optimistic smile on his face before he leaned in close and lightly kissed Hermione on the forehead.

"You're probably right, I'm just afraid that it's not our grades or…I don't have a problem being Head Girl alright, it's just that I don't want to be Head Girl unless I've earned it, I don't want it simply because we're friends with Dumbledore," Hermione stated with an unhappy pout on her face as she took particular interest in one of the pillow's tassels, wrapping it tightly again and again around her index finger.

"Well I'm pretty sure that I didn't get Head Boy because of my sterling marks," Ron pointed out with a slightly defeated look on his face as first he gazed off into the fire before he lifted his eyes up and took a good look at the clock, noticing that they still had a few more minutes to relax before heading out for the dinner meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"Your marks weren't that bad Ron, sure you could have studied a bit more here and there, but you still did well…right," Hermione said with a defensive look on her face as she snuggled in up next to Ron a bit tighter and gave the clock on the mantel above their fireplace a quick peek to check and make sure that they wouldn't be late.

"Well I did okay, not sure if I've quite got the marks to be an auror…then again it's not like I was really shooting to be an auror…just would have been nice, since you and Harry will both probably be," Ron replied with a distant look in his eyes as he stared off into the fire before checking his watch.

"Who said that I wanted to be an auror, their jobs don't seem challenging enough for me…besides, I feel that my efforts would be better suited becoming a healer," Hermione said with a mildly surprised look on her face as she forced herself to stand up and out of Ron's warm and comforting embrace.

"You'd be the best healer that St. Mungro's has ever seen," Ron beamed with pride back at her as he slowly stood up and took one of her hands into his.

"St. Mungro's…but if I were to work and train there and you and Harry were to become aurors then," Hermione began with a very thoughtful frown on her face before Ron got the message of where her thoughts were headed.

"I wouldn't count on us both becoming aurors Hermione, I'd rather stay near you and take my chances than split us up by heading off to train to be an auror," Ron countered with a very sincere look on his face before he and Hermione walked to the door of their room, gave the password, and stepped out into the long hallway.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

They entered Dumbledore's office slowly, with each still in awe of the great room even though they had already been there a time or two. Hermione's gaze longingly fell over the many shelves of old books on the one side of the room while Ron wondered what all of the various magical instruments did that lined the other shelves. Professor McGonagall had shown them in, with her deep purple robes billowing about her. Even though she could be quite harsh Ron had always respected the head of his house, partially due to the fact that she seemed to love Quidditch a great deal and wanted her house to win the house cup every year. On the other hand for Hermione in some respects Professor McGonagall demonstrated much of what she wished for herself in the future. All except for the part about not having anyone like she now had Ron.

"Mister Weasley, Miss Granger…so nice of you to come early, the last Head Boy and Head Girl arrived precisely two minutes late last year and we…," Dumbledore started to say with a very appreciative smile on his face before McGonagall cut in.

"That was last year Albus, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger do not need to be regaled with the failure's of past Head's to arrive on time to this meal," McGonagall interjected with a stern but kind smile on her face as she waved her wand and a large door appeared in the bookcase on one side of Dumbledore's office. Ron was about to ask how she had done that when McGonagall ushered them all through that door and into a small room with a large round table, with four elegant chairs, sat in the middle, decked out with a feast, and a phonograph sitting on a small table up against the far wall. Immediately upon them entering the room a soft and soothing melody began to play.

"It is enchanted to play when anyone enters the room," Dumbledore informed them with a warm smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye before he hiked up his robes and made his way over to the table.

"It's a lovely tune," Hermione said with a somewhat more relaxed look on her face than she had when she had first entered Dumbledore's office.

"Thank you Ms. Granger, I picked it out myself especially for tonight, I'd hoped that you and Mr. Weasley would like it," Dumbledore said back with a very pleased smirk on his face as he, Ron, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall were seated and the door to the room shut behind them.

"Yeah…love it," Ron mumbled out softly under his breath as his eyes grew wide and he licked his lips while staring at the large amount of food on his plate.

"Ron," Hermione scolded him with an unhappy scowl on her face as she lightly elbowed him in the shoulder.

"It's quite alright Ms. Granger, I am aware of Ronald's legendary appetite and so planned accordingly, please…we should begin before it gets cold," Dumbledore said with a sympathetic expression on his face before he and the others dug in.

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione asked with a nervous look on her face as she picked up her fork and turned to the Headmaster.

"Yes Hermione," Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye, already knowing what her question would be.

"Excuse my brashness…but," Hermione began to say with a nervous look on her face before Dumbledore spoke up.

"Why did I make the two of you Head's when the honor usually goes to two seventh years…it greatly had to do with the fact that I believe that Voldemort is almost ready to begin his war against the wizarding world, and because of that I needed two Head's that I knew were beyond reproach in their honesty, loyalty, bravery, and most importantly were two that I would entrust my own life to," Dumbledore interjected with a soft but yet very serious and worried tone to his voice as he leaned a bit closer to Hermione before popping a tart into his mouth.

"Of course you understand Ms. Granger…Mr. Weasley, none of what we speak of here tonight at this table is to be discussed outside of this room or in anyone's company but ours," McGonagall added with a very serious and grim frown on her face before she picked up her knife and fork and started to slice off a piece of her steak.

"Yes ma'am," Both Hermione and Ron said in unison with very serious looks on their faces before Ron took a large sip of his drink.

"With that being said I want the two of you to be on your highest guard, if you see or hear anything out of the ordinary you are to come to one of us immediately, Voldemort could attack at any time and if we are to get the younger students out of the line of fire when that happens we need to be one step ahead of him," Dumbledore added with a calm but yet serious look on his face as he picked up a grape off of his plate.

"Perhaps we should send some of the younger students home, reinforce the protective runes about the castle, close off any section of the castle that is not in use, strategically place magical traps within the school that are only activated once an attack has begun, we could also lift the spell that prevents anyone from apparating in or out of Hogwarts once the battle had begun…or collect enough port keys so that everyone that's not in any condition to fight can get away as to minimize the number hurt or…," Hermione stated quickly with a very deep in thought look on her face as Ron stayed quiet at first before he began to stare oddly at her as she continued on her rant of possible ideas to protect both the school and the students from Voldemorts future attack.

"Is all of that possible, I mean we could do some of that but he's already gotten in once before with Tom Riddle's diary…what if he tries something like that again," Ron wondered aloud with a worried look on his face after he swallowed a large amount of food and wiped his mouth clean with his napkin.

"I'm not sure if all of it is Ronald, but you do make a good point about Voldemort possibly using subterfuge to gain access to Hogwarts," McGonagall said with a concerned look on her face as she set her knife down and turned to Dumbledore.

"If that were to happen then most of my ideas would prove useless," Hermione moaned with a defeated and unhappy look on her face as she set her spoon down and hung her head.

"But they were still good ideas Mione," Ron said with a comforting and supportive tone to his voice as unconsciously he reached his hand up and took a hold of Hermione's and gave it a squeeze. Without really thinking Hermione smiled back at him and returned the squeeze.

"I see that congratulations are in order," Dumbledore asked with a sly wink and smirk on his face as he beamed across the table at Hermione and Ron before the two realized that they were holding hands and quickly let go and stared straight down at their plates.

"You two do not have to be shy about your feelings for each other at this table Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley…I am glad that the two of you have finally realized what many of us have known for some time," McGonagall said with a happy but reserved smile on her face as she looked first to Hermione and then to Ron.

"Some time…," Hermione wondered with a confused and scared look on her face as her eyes grew a bit wider before Dumbledore answered.

"I believe that we first noticed that small spark between the two of you before you accompanied Harry past Fluffy in your quest for the sorcerer's stone, after that it was all a waiting game…to see how long it would be before the two of you realized your mutual feelings for the other, but don't worry Hermione, we teachers kept this knowledge in the closest of confidence, Hagrid was so pleased that he nearly broke all of the fine china in the kitchen," Dumbledore interjected with a warm and very happy smile on his face before he popped another grape into his mouth.

"I think Albus, that in the future when we give Hagrid such good news that we make sure that he is not anywhere near the kitchen," McGonagall added with a stern but warm pout on her face as she picked her knife back up. For a moment Hermione looked about ready to blush herself to death. "Relax Ms. Granger, as I see that it is your choice to keep your relationship with Mr. Weasley a secret we will not tell anyone else, and Hagrid has been warned to keep it a secret, but I feel that I should warn you that he will probably want to congratulate the two of you personally, so I suggest that the two of you find a time where you can both visit him apart from the others," McGonagall added with a sly smirk on her face before she nodded her head to first Hermione and then Ron.

"Good idea," Ron said with a nervous smile on his face before he hurriedly stuffed an entire giant roll into his mouth and began to slowly chew.

"But…how did you know," Hermione asked with a nervous look on her face as she slowly picked her glass up off of the table.

"It was obvious from the start, how the two of you acted around each other, what one of you would do for the other without any expectation of a thank you…why the last time that we had two people that argued as much as the two of you it was Molly and Arthur Weasley," Dumbledore replied with a calm twinkle in his eye before he tore a piece off of a roll and put it into his mouth.

"I can still remember having to tell them to quiet down so that the other students could get a decent night's rest…but now since we are on the subject, may I ask why you do not want a great multitude to know the good news," McGonagall added softly with a fond look of nostalgia on her face before she posed the question that secretly she really wanted to know the answer to.

"Harry's already got to much on his plate, the last thing that he needs is to be worrying about us even more than he already does, besides seeing how every little thing that Harry does now gets plastered all over the papers…," Ron answered quickly with a nervous but slightly more confidant than before look on his face as he stepped in before Hermione could get a word in edgewise.

"I understand completely Mr. Weasley, we will speak no more of it tonight…and do not worry, your secret is safe with us," Dumbledore said with a kind smile on his face as he lightly patted Ron on the shoulder before he turned his attention back to his plate of food.

END OF CHAPTER 6


	10. Deja Vu And Accidents

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 7-DÉJÀ VU AND ACCIDENTS**

Instead of going directly back to their suite after the dinner with Dumbledore and McGonagall Hermione convinced Ron to swing by the Gryffindor common room first. Shortly after the meeting she had conveyed her fears to Ron about how Harry was holding up and if Ginny had blown her top yet. They hoped that both Harry and Ginny were still up either studying or playing wizards chess. However when they stepped through the opening their were only two students left in the common room. A young boy, first year by the size of him, sat nearly enveloped in Hermione's favorite chair by the fire while an equally young girl lay on her stomach on the rug in front of the fire, staring aimlessly into it.

"Are you going to read that book all night Johnnie," The young girl moaned with an extremely bored look on her face as she rolled her eyes and shook her head sadly.

"My name is John, Hazel, and what's it to you if I do, I've only read this book through two times, I need to read through it again before class tomorrow," John replied with a frustrated sigh and shaking of his head, an act that brought a bit of a smirk to Hermione's face.

"Why…you already know everything that's in it, c'mon…let's play chess," Hazel groaned with an unhappy pout on her face as she shook her head on her way to standing up, getting a low chuckle from Ron.

"Oi…you two, why are you still up, it's past curfew," Ron exclaimed with a booming and hopefully threatening tone of voice as he balled his hands up into fists and puffed out his chest just a bit, all in all a stance that very nearly drove Hermione to fits of laughter. To her credit she managed to hide her smile and turn it into a rather stern scowl as the two first years looked scared out of their wits for a moment before the young girl jumped up and confronted them.

"We weren't doing anything wrong, we're not out there wandering around the corridor's, we're in our common room…studying," Hazel countered with a very determined and impatient scowl on her face as she mimicked Ron's stance and stepped forward, positioning herself directly in between them and John.

"Well…John seems to be studying, but you on the other hand," Hermione said with a lightly skeptical tone to her voice as she walked towards the fire.

"Were far to busy watching the logs burn in the fireplace and wanting to play chess," Ron finished with a sly grin on his face as he out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a fully ready chessboard.

"So what if I wasn't studying, we only have one parchment for McGonagall due tomorrow and I'm almost done," Hazel started to say with a confidant and proud smile on her face before John stepped in with first a snort.

"You mean that parchment over there on the couch that consists of one word, sorry Hazel but if you plan to get passable marks and become a contributing member of wizard society then you're just going to have to buckle down and work at it," John interjected with a well hidden smile on his face as he quickly ducked back behind his large book so that he couldn't see the angry glare that Hazel was sending him.

"Fancy a game," Ron asked with an excited wink as he walked over to the board and gazed down at it first for a moment before looking up at Hazel, who seemed at the same time relieved to have someone to play chess with and scared that there was more to her opponent than she currently knew.

"Sure it won't be to much for you," Hazel shot back finally with a very confidant grin on her face as she slid into one of the chairs next to the chessboard.

"Oh I'm sure…ya bloody midget," Ron grumbled with a sly snicker as he slipped down into the other chair and pulled it up closer.

"Ron," Hermione exclaimed with an unhappy scowl on her face as she shook her head and began to walk towards him.

"Sorry Mione, I'll try not to swear anymore," Ron started to say with a nervous look on his face before Hazel made her first move and Hermione interrupted Ron.

"That's good to here Ron, although I was going to tell you to take it easy on her," Hermione countered with softly as she leaned up against the side of the chair that he was sitting it, crossed her arms, and then gave him an approving smile.

"Oh, right," Ron mumbled back with a cheeky smirk on his face as Hazel studied him with a quizzical look on her face before John reluctantly walked over and stood beside Hazel's chair.

"So what year are the two of you in," John asked with a very calm tone to his voice as he set his book down on one of the nearby desks.

"Sixth," Ron quickly replied before Hermione as he made his first move and picked up his left knight and moved it up two spaces and then to the right one space. Hazel seemed to care less about what year Ron and Hermione were in however John's eyes lit up at the answer.

"Then that means that you know the boy who lived," John exclaimed with a look of awe on his face as even Hazel stopped staring intently at the chessboard for a few seconds.

"You mean Harry, Ron and I both know him, he's our best friend, I'm surprised that you didn't know that," Hermione replied with a startled and surprised look on her face as she leaned away from Ron's chair.

"See John, told you that the papers weren't telling us everything," Hazel muttered angrily under breath while she made a move, even though Hermione was sure that after the move had been made Hazel had looked them both over.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Harry awoke the next morning in a foul mood. Lupin had been less than forthcoming about his reasons to return to Hogwarts to be the Defense Against The Dark Arts instructor and every time that he saw them Ron and Hermione would look at him as if he could go off at any moment. It had been three weeks since his talk with Lupin and every night Ginny would try to get him to talk about what it was that was bothering him. But every time that she asked Harry would just get angry and glare at her, never watching her long enough to see the tears that would usually begin to form in her eyes in less than a second after whatever biting remark he had used to end their conversation had left his mouth. On this particular day Hagrid had asked them to pick some berries for him to make into a thick paste to color new signs for the pens that he kept his various animals in. Breakfast was fast approaching and Harry's stomach had started to growl even before they had filled the first basket up.

"Find any more over there Harry," Ginny asked with a soft and gentle tone to her voice as she turned her head around and smiled over at Harry, who stayed still and didn't immediately answer her. After a few moments of Harry not saying anything Ginny got frustrated and decided that enough was enough. Setting her jaw, and her resolve, Ginny stood up and marched straight over to Harry, taking his basket away from him so that he would have to look at her.

"What are you doing," Harry demanded with a gruff tone to his voice as he very angrily glared up at Ginny out of the corner of his eye, a glare that made Ginny's blood run cold.

"You've barely said two words to me in a month, back in London you were all concerned about whether or not we were still friends, but ever since we got back to Hogwarts you avoid me like I have the bloody plague or something," Ginny shot back with a very frustrated and impatient scowl on her face as she hoped that she hadn't let her true feelings slip.

"Leave me alone," Harry snorted back with an almost accusing edge to his voice as he turned away from Ginny and sulked off into the forest.

"Don't walk away from me Harry Potter, you been acting like the biggest arse that this place has ever seen for weeks and I want to know why right this instant," Ginny shouted back at his retreating back and shoulders before she stormed off after him, determined to get an answer.

"Last I checked I was free to do what I pleased, I don't need a little busybody following me around like a bloody harpy, whining about every little thing that goes wrong in her pitiful little life, like you know what pain is…," Harry growled back with a ferocity and tenor that initially scared Ginny silly, before being saved by the Weasley ability to shrug of almost any insult, if only because they don't have a clue what else to do in the situation.

"I am not a bloody harpy Harry, look at me," Ginny exclaimed right back at him with an equal amount of anger in her voice as she hurried off after him until she grabbed him by the arm and spun him around, making him look her straight in the eye.

"Really now, because you sure look like one to me," Harry snapped back with a very vindictive sneer on his face before he forcefully ripped his arm out of Ginny's grasp.

"What has gotten into you Harry, you're not acting like yourself," Ginny stated with now a very worried and concerned look on her face as she took a step back and look Harry up and down.

"Oh like you'd know how I act, you're nothing but a little suck up to rest of us, a spoiled little brat that has to tag along wherever we go, a little tattle tale that…," Harry shouted back vehemently at Ginny before his line of insults was stopped by a sharp slap across the face from Ginny. A few silent moments lingered between them as Harry remained eerily silent, his mind still reeling from what Ginny had done, while Ginny desperately searched for what to say.

"Harry…I'm sorry, I just," Ginny started to say with a very embarrassed and defeated expression on her face as she stepped forward and with tears beginning to form in her eyes reached up and touched the cheek that she had slapped. No sooner had her skin touched him then a switch was turned on somewhere within Harry and for the next few seconds he felt all of his anger, frustration, and sadness explode out of him, controlling his body and making him do something that he would regret until the day that he died.

"I said…leave me alone," Harry shouted at the top of his lungs with the angriest sneer on his face that Ginny had ever seen before in an instant his hands were on her shoulders and shoving her back away from him.

"Harry," Ginny shrieked loudly in both terror and surprise as she stumbled backwards before her heel got caught on an exposed root and sent her tumbling backwards to the ground. A sickening crack snapped Harry back to reality as the back of Ginny's head struck a rather sharp rock and her world went instantly dark.

"Ginny…Ginny," Harry mumbled in a shocked silence, where for the time being time itself stood still and all sound around him was drowned away into nothingness, before he rushed forward and knelt down at Ginny's side, only then noticing the steady stream of dark red blood already covering the ancient rock and damp grass.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Ron and Hermione had eaten their breakfast slowly, constantly expecting either Harry or Ginny to come and sit with them. But oddly enough neither did. More than once Ron had wanted to get up and go and search for the pair but Hermione had been able to persuade him to calm down, saying that the two were probably either still asleep or in her wildest dreams that Ginny had been able to finally get Harry to open up to her. Neither of course knew what was really going on out beside Hagrid's hut but all throughout breakfast Ron had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Oddly enough is was very similar to the feeling that he had gotten in his stomach just before bedtime the night that his father had been attacked by Voldemort's giant snake.

"You better watch your step now Weasel," Draco jeered with a very confidant and proud smile on his face as he started to walk by the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle close behind.

"Oh, and why is that," Hermione quickly shot back with a defiant and confrontational scowl on her face as she sat up straight in her seat and did her best to glare a hole right through Draco.

"Because once Saint Potter finishes what he started with your little sister he'll probably be coming after you next," Draco shot back, victory clearly evident in his voice as he looked to be about ready to triumphantly parade out of the room.

"What are you talking about," Ron exclaimed with a furious and confused scowl on his face as he rose up out of his seat but stayed where he was when he heard Draco's response.

"You should have seen it, there was so much blood, she'll probably die," Crabbe stammered out quickly, his double chins bouncing up and down quickly, slapping into each other making every girl at the Gryffindor table have to do their best to keep their breakfast in their stomachs.

"No, you're lying, Harry would never hurt Ginny," Hermione stated with a shaky look on her face as she rose up beside Ron and did her best to glare at Draco.

"Guess you don't know him as well as you thought you did, Madam Pomfrey's with her now…but it doesn't look good," Draco shot back with a very happy smirk on his face before he, Crabbe, and Goyle strolled out of the main hall. Hermione did not even have time to draw the breath to utter a single syllable before Ron was out of his seat and racing off down through the corridors towards the hospital wing. She did her best to try and keep up but with her shorter legs she had a hard time of it and Ron beat her there by several moments.

"Ginny," Ron shouted at the top of his lungs as he burst into the room, very disheartened to see Harry, looking like death warmed over, leaning up against a wall while there were sounds of something going on behind one of the back curtains.

"I'm sorry Ron, I didn't mean to," Harry tried his best to mumble with a look of deep regret on his face before he could no longer control his emotions and a tear streamed down his cheek.

"What did…Ginny," Ron started to angrily demand before he raced behind the curtain and disappeared only a moment before Hermione, breathing heavy at the effort to try and keep up with Ron, spun around the corner and into the room.

"Hermione…I," Harry tried to say with a very defeated and self-loathing look on his face before Hermione interrupted.

"Harry, what happened, where's Ron," Hermione interjected with a worried but inquisitive look on her face as her hands slipped to her hips and she raised her eyebrows.

"Back there, with Madam Pomfrey and Ginny, I don't know what happened…we were helping Hagrid, then we started fighting…she slapped me, I tried to push her away…she tripped…she fell and," Harry answered with a very stunned look on his face, as if he still wasn't sure that his memory of what had transpired was actually what happened, before both were interrupted by Ron throwing the curtain aside and rushing towards Harry.

"You bastard," Ron shouted at the top of his lungs before he grabbed Harry by the front of his robes and hauled him off of the ground before slamming him into the wall, knocking most of the air out of Harry's lungs in the process.

"Ron no," Hermione cried with a very panicked look of desperation and surprise on her face as she took a hesitant step forward, totally unsure of exactly what to do.

"Why Harry…why, why would you do that to her," Ron demanded with very angry sneer on his face as he let Harry slide down the wall but he did not let go of the front of Harry's robes, making sure that he would get an answer.

"It was an accident, I didn't mean to Ron I swear, it just happened and," Harry started to stutter out as an answer as he looked away before Ron's emotions got the better of him and he reared back and let Harry have it across his jaw with his right fight, knocking his glasses off and splitting open Harry's lip at the same time.

"Ron stop it," Hermione pleaded with a terrified and worried tone to her voice as she didn't want things to get any more out of hand than they already were. But her words fell on deaf ears as Harry's survival instinct kicked in and catching Ron by surprise his left fist caught Ron across the nose. Hermione wince badly as she heard the loud crack that Harry's punch caused, before Ron let go of Harry and stumbled back a couple of steps. Before anyone else could say anything Ron growled angrily and started to rush Harry but the latter took the initiative and lowered his shoulder and barreled into Ron's midsection, an act that sent the two backwards until they fell over one of the beds and ended up on the floor on its other side. Ron quickly recovered and landed two quick punches, one to Harry's stomach and the next to Harry's right eye, one that would undoubtedly have a nice shiner on it for days. Harry did his best to retaliate, getting a good shot in on Ron's left eye, a hit that would also leave the youngest male Weasley with a nice shiner for days, before Hermione broke it all up.

"Petrificus totallus," Hermione shouted with a terrified look on her face as she whipped out her wand and aimed it straight at Ron and Harry, with both almost instantly going rigid and unable to move.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"How do you feel," Hermione asked with a half scolding and half worried look on her face as she sat down on the couch beside Ron in their suite. The spell that Hermione had cast had not been taken off until Ron and Harry were well separated and everyone involved had calmed down, that had ended up taking all day, with all of the teachers being briefed about what had transpired in the hospital wing so as to overlook Ron, Harry and Hermione's absence. Hermione had tried to attend a few classes but had found it impossible to concentrate and so at lunch had talked to McGonagall and retreated back to the Head Boy and Head Girl suite to tend to Ron.

"I came this close to knocking my best friend out cold because he almost killed my little sister, how do you bloody think I feel Hermione…sorry," Ron started to say back angrily, using his thumb and index finger to show a very small distance between them, before he turned and saw the fear in her eyes and sighed deeply before humbly apologizing.

"I know you are Ron, what got into you back there," Hermione asked with a concerned look on her face as she pulled the blanket up tighter around them before turning her gaze back to Ron's face.

"I don't know Mione, it's just that when I saw Ginny lying there looking half dead something snapped inside me, I couldn't take it seeing her like that, it was almost my worst fear come true, almost as bad as," Ron started to say back softly with a confused and terribly worried look on his face before he couldn't bring himself to finish his statement and turned away.

"Almost as bad as what Ron," Hermione begged with a concerned look on her face as she gently laid her hand on Ron's cheek and turned his head until she was looking at him face to face.

"As losing you," Ron whispered back, appearing as if it were a struggle just to utter those three words, with an absolutely terrified look on his face as a single tear trickled down his cheek. In response Hermione did the only thing that she could think of, leaning in closer to him she wiped away the tear before softly kissing him on the mouth and letting the fire warm them until they both fell asleep.

END OF CHAPTER 7


	11. The Real Reason

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 8-THE REAL REASON**

Hermione awoke to find that her comfortable pillow was gone, her comfortable pillow named Ron. She started to get worried as she opened her eyes but seconds later her worries were alleviated as she saw Ron standing beside the roaring hearth, staring sadly into the fire. When she went to sit up she noticed that the blanket that she had pulled over herself and Ron the night before was now tightly packed in around her. Smiling softly Hermione slid the blanket off of her and stood up, padding over in her socks to stand behind Ron.

"You okay," Hermione asked with a concerned tone to her voice as she reached up and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"No, not really," Ron mumbled back sadly in reply before Hermione leaned forward and rested her chin on his left bicep while snaking her arms around his waist.

"You seem calmer than yesterday, Ginny will be alright Ron," Hermione said with a serious and comforting look on her face as she looked up into Ron's eyes and saw that her words had been taken to heart.

"I know Hermione, it's just that seeing her just lying there…I still can't get it out of my mind, and now how am I ever supposed to be able to be around Harry when all I can think of is what he did to Ginny," Ron softly replied with a deeply troubled expression on his face as he turned his head and gazed down at Hermione before she pulled away and positioned herself in between Ron and the fireplace.

"Well things are not going to improve for any of us if we stay in our neutral corners and pretend like the others don't exist, I'm going to visit Ginny and I think…no I know that you should come to, if for no reason other than to find Harry and settle things with him, I hate to see the two of you fighting," Hermione said with a very serious and worried look on her face before she leaned in closer and laid her head on his chest.

"Don't you care what he did, Harry nearly killed Ginny all because he's being such a bloody prat and not talking to anyone about how he feels, I'm not going to ever let him near her again," Ron countered with an angry scowl on his face as he pulled away from Hermione and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Of course I care Ron, how could you think that I didn't…but you and Harry are both my best friends, I know that Harry didn't mean to hurt Ginny, and I think you do to, you'll feel better after you've talked to him, he's going to need your help in the end Ron and since we don't know when that is we can't waste time fighting when making sure that Ginny is okay and finding a way to stop Voldemort are our top two priorities," Hermione said with a very serious and knowledgeable look on her face as she crossed her arms and looked right back at Ron.

"You're right, I'm going to go check on Ginny, I'll see you at breakfast," Ron said softly back with a worried look on his face before he turned away and exited the suite, leaving Hermione to rush into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

He sat in silence, afraid to utter a single sound. His gaze was locked on every detail that she possessed, from the tips of her toes to her delicate eyelashes. He had thought that she was pretty ever since he had seen her, even though back then the thought barely registered in his mind. Then thoughts of Cho and a few other random girls had invaded his mind and Ginny had gotten pushed back into some of the deepest recesses of his mind. It wasn't until one night over the summer while he had been lying in the grass in the Dursley's backyard and staring up at the stars. He didn't know what had made him think of Ginny that night but suddenly images and memories of what had happened the night that she had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets flooded back into his mind. A sick feeling had formed in the pit of his stomach at the memory of her lying there completely motionless on the cold stone floor of the cavern, looking worse than death. After the basilisk had bitten him his thoughts had turned away from escaping the lair as at that time he thought himself a lost cause. His only concern at that moment was that Ginny make it out of the cavern and back to Ron. Fawkes using his tears to cure the basilisk bite, enabling them both to make it out of the cavern, had been a great surprise. That night Ginny had clung to him like she was afraid that if she let go, even for a second, that he would disappear and she would find herself right back in where she had been before he had come.

His heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat when she coughed violently enough to disturb the halo of hair carefully laced around her head. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and brush a few stray strands of hair off of her face, but the moment that his hand neared her skin he froze, finally quickly pulling his hand back away from her. After what he did to her before breakfast he felt like an evil far worse than Voldemort ever could be. She had only been trying to get him to open up, trying to help him work through the pain that was blinding him. It was obvious that she cared for him, but then again Ginny cared for everything, whether she openly showed it or not. Sure she had the Weasley flare and temper but all the same he couldn't remember anything or anyone, save Voldemort, that Ginny had ever admitted to actually hating. He was just about to stand up and leave when she mumbled something in her sleep and reached out and grabbed a hold of his hand that he had left lying on the side of her bed, far enough away from her so that if she shifted ever so slightly their skin would not come into contact.

"Nnh…Harry," Ginny mumbled out very softly, with Harry having to strain his ears just to hear her words as she slowly turned her head to one side. For a split second Harry couldn't move, torn between dropping to his knees and begging Ginny to forgive him and ripping his hand out of her weak grasp and tearing out of the hospital wing as if there were a Death Eater on his tail. In the end he chose something more resembling the former rather than the latter.

"Ginny…I," Harry started to mumble with a guilt ridden edge in his voice as he left his hand where it was and dropped down to his knees, allowing a few tears to run down his cheeks. He tried to continue to speak but his mouth would not form the words, instead he dropped his head down onto her shoulder and wept.

Upon entering the hospital wing Ron thought that he heard something. He wasn't sure if he had at first, but as he neared the door of the room that Ginny was in he became more and more convinced that he had indeed heard something. He hurried his pace up just a bit when the thought crossed his mind that the sound could possibly be coming from Ginny. He almost tripped over his own feet at the sight that greeted him when he entered the room that Ginny was in. Kneeling down beside her bed, with his head pressed firmly against her shoulder and crying like a baby, was Harry. At first Ron didn't know what to do. A part of him wanted to pick Harry up by his belt and collar and toss him out the nearest window, no matter how high up they were, whereas another part of him was able to force himself to stand silent and still and wait to see what happened next. He watched in silence as Ginny's eyes slowly flickered open and took in the sight of Harry kneeling beside her bed, weeping as if it were her funeral.

"H…Harry," Ginny mumbled softly as she painfully licked her lips and flickered her eyes open and closed. At her words Harry seemed to snap out of his trance.

"Ginny…I'm here," Harry mumbled back through his tears as he lifted his head in joy that Ginny had woken up but yet was scared of what her reaction would be in finding him so close to her. Ginny blearily stared up at Harry for a few seconds before tears came to her eyes. Ron desperately tried to move but found that his muscles had staged a mutiny, all refusing to move an inch. As Ron watched in a stunned silence rather than letting go of Harry's hand Ginny in turn tightened her grip, something that shocked Harry as well, who looked like he wanted to hurl.

"I'm…sorry, Harry, I…never meant to…," Ginny began to mumble through the pain in her head as tears sprang to her eyes before Harry cut her off with an almost choking sob.

"Please Ginny, don't speak…you have to conserve your strength and get better, Merlin I'm so sorry Ginny, I never meant to hurt you, you have to get better," Harry stammered out through more tears before he couldn't take it any more and turned away.

"I know you didn't mean to Harry, I was so scared for you," Ginny mumbled back with still more tears in her eyes, ones that Harry was quick to wipe away while Ron stood motionless some feet away.

"For me…why were you scared for me," Harry asked with a perplexed look on his face as he leaned back a bit and cocked his head slightly to one side.

"Because Harry, you were trying to go through your misery all by yourself, you don't have to…we're all here for you," Ginny mumbled back with a very sad and slightly sleepy look on her face as she clung to Harry's hand and refused to give an inch.

"I'm sorry Ginny…but I didn't know what to do, Sirius shouldn't have died that day…it should have been me…it should have been me that died that day, not Sirius," Harry stated back with an extremely nervous tone to his voice as he gently brushed some hair off of Ginny's face.

"Are you stupid, you're the boy that lived, you didn't die that day for a reason, you're the only one that can defeat Voldemort," Ron bellowed out loudly as his muscles suddenly ended their mutiny and he rushed into the room, forcing Harry to stand up and look him in the eye.

"Ron no," Ginny pleaded softly with a strained look on her face as she feebly tried to lift a hand up in Harry's defense.

"Ron I," Harry started to say with a scared look in his eyes before Ron grabbed him by both shoulders and cut him off.

"Stop it Harry, stop it right now, we know that you were devastated over Sirius' death, now for the first and last time…it was not your fault and it should not have been you that died that day in the Department of Mysteries, do you think that Sirius would want you to be doing this to yourself, blaming yourself like this and giving Voldemort exactly what he wants," Ron interjected with a very forceful expression on his face as he glared a hole straight through Harry and into the wall behind him.

"But…what am I supposed to do now," Harry mumbled back weakly with a very confused look on his face as he stopped fighting against Ron.

"Let us…all of us, help you through this…after all Harry, that's what we're here for," Hermione said with a very relieved smile on her face as she appeared in the doorway and wiped away a tear, one that no one else in the room ever saw.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Three weeks after Ginny's accident she, Ron, and Harry had begun quidditch practices with the rest of the Gryffindor team. Early on it was clear that Harry had lost a bit because of his absence from the sport, but near the end of the practice there were signs that he was beginning to get it all back. Harry had resumed his position as seeker, a position that Ginny was more than ready to secede to him as she took up the role of one of the chasers. Ron returned as the team's keeper and it was quickly clear to Harry that he had improved immensely since his first days as keeper in their fifth year. Hermione had come out to watch them practice for a little while before complaining that she need to catch up on her missed schoolwork and had gone back into the castle. Everyone but Hagrid, returning from Nocturne Alley with another bottle of slug repellent, completely missed the wink that Hermione gave Ron before she walked off of the pitch. Hagrid's hut had quickly become the second place that Hermione and Ron would go to be alone and be able to feel free to express their love for each other without fear of being discovered after their Head's suite.

Ginny had improved a great deal since the accident and by the time that quidditch practices had started Harry had even begun to answer her questions instead of just stalling her. Harry's mood had lightened somewhat since that day in the hospital wing and he had even laughed at a few jokes. It was clear to Hermione, as she told Ron repeatedly, that Harry had begun his way on the road to becoming who he was before the accident in the Department of Mysteries but that he still had a long ways to go. On this night however Hermione had camped herself in the living room portion of their Head's suite, with her books and parchments spread out all over, when Ron walked in through the doorway, still carrying his broom and stinking to high heaven. Ron started to walk over to give her a kiss but she scrunched up her nose and informed him that she didn't want him coming anywhere near her until he had showered.

"Do I pass your bloody smell test now milady," Ron asked with a mock bow as he walked out of his room with his hair still clearly wet and his pajamas already on.

"Don't swear…but yes, you pass my test," Hermione said back at first with an impatient and stern scowl, one that quickly left her face as she inhaled the familiar scent of the Burrow as Ron sat down next to her on the couch.

"That doesn't look like an essay," Ron said with an odd tilt of his eyebrows as he reached forward for a roll of parchment that Hermione had laid on the far end of the couch. Just as he was about to unroll it and read it Hermione suddenly reached out and snatched it out of his hands.

"It's nothing…really," Hermione stated with a very nervous and embarrassed smile on her face as she hurriedly tried to hide the parchment beneath a pile of others. Her suddenly not wanting him to read the parchment only made Ron want to read it more.

"What's wrong Hermione, if I didn't know better I'd think that you didn't want me to see what was on that piece of parchment," Ron stated with very calm but yet serious tone to his voice as he took a hold of one of Hermione's hands and gently pulled her back and away from the pile that she had hidden the parchment under.

"Huh…oh no, it's nothing…really," Hermione squeaked with a scared look on her face as her face flushed red and she hunched her shoulders a bit. From her doing that Ron was positive that there was something on that parchment that Hermione did not want him to know.

"Yes it is, otherwise you would be able to look me in the eye," Ron started to say as he slowly shifted his weight before he dove for the parchment with his free hand and after surprising Hermione stood up with the parchment in his hands.

"Ron," Hermione exclaimed in shock and terror as he back away from her with the parchment in his hands. Hermione started to frantically wade through her sea of books and other parchments before she could tell by the look on Ron's face that he had read enough of the parchment.

"He…he's coming…here," Ron babbled out in shock as he read and then reread several lines of the parchment.

"Yes, he said that that he had some free time and wanted to visit over Christmas, my parents are going on a cruise this year so I'll be staying here this year with you and Harry and Ginny," Hermione said softly with a scared and nervous look on her face as she could not meet Ron's stare with her own gaze.

"Does…does he know, about us," Ron asked with a worried look on her face as Hermione was finally able to lift her head up and look him in the eye.

"When he wrote that he didn't, further down there's a passage about everything that he wanted him and I to do together when he arrived…I just got it last night, but I sent an owl off before coming back here with my answer, it's what I was doing while watching you, Harry, and Ginny practice, I told him that it was okay if he wanted to come but made sure that he knew about us…and not to tell anyone about it," Hermione answered with a very nervous and scared expression on her face as her feet acted on their own accord and walked her over until she stood directly in front of Ron, trying her best to keep from tearing up at the nervous look in his eyes. Ron debated exactly what to do for a few moments before he groaned, turned on his heel and quietly left the suite with Hermione at first to shocked to move.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

It took her nearly two hours to find him. She thought that she had looked everywhere for him. But when she found him he was sitting up in the Gryffindor stands with a heavy cloak wrapped around him, staring off into space. The frenzied climb up the tower had taken her breath and so for a few moments after she sat down beside him on the bench the two were silent. She got straight to the point when she regained her breath.

"Why did you leave," Hermione asked very pointedly with an annoyed scowl on her face as she turned to face Ron. He stayed silent for a few moments before answering her in a low voice.

"Not sure, I just got angry at him for sticking his bloody nose where it didn't belong, and I didn't want to fight with you anymore," Ron said with a sad and regretful look on his face as he only half turned towards Hermione and looked at her through the curtain of his bangs as he was hanging his head just a bit.

"He knows about us Ron, he's not going to try to steal me away from you if that's what you're thinking, no one can do that because I won't let it happen," Hermione said back with a very certain tone to her voice as she wrapped her hands around his before shuddering at the cold.

"Good, the day that he arrives I'm going to have a talk with him and make sure that he knows the rules, besides I can't have him screwing up my plans for our first Christmas together," Ron said with a very slight smirk on his face as he stared up into the now star filled night sky.

"Don't worry Ron, he won't," Hermione said with a reassuring tone to her voice before she shivered again, this time more violently and inwardly cursed herself for rushing out of the Head's suite so quick as to not pick up a warm coat on the way out. She was about to speak when she shivered again and Ron noticed.

"Oi Mione, what are you doing out here without a coat on," Ron gasped with a very surprised look on his face as he finally turned his head and moved his hair aside to get a good look at Hermione.

"I was so worried about talking to my boyfriend when he ran out of the room that I forgot about it," Hermione said back with a sly grin on her face before Ron opened up the folds of his cloak and pulled her towards him before wrapping them both up in his cloak.

"Then I guess that you're lucky that I had forgotten my cloak here after practice, otherwise," Ron started to say with a sly grin on his face before Hermione put a cool finger up onto his lips.

"A word of advice Ron, stop while you're ahead," Hermione whispered softly to him with a warm smile that quickly enveloped her entire face before she leaned in and softly pressed her lips to his. Soon neither one was cold.

END OF CHAPTER 8


	12. New Plan

LETTERS FROM BEYOND

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 9-NEW PLANS**

"Thank you both for coming to see me on such short notice," Dumbledore said with a concerned look on his face as he slowly sat down in his chair behind a small round table, motioning for Hermione and Ron to sit down at the same time.

"Don't mention it sir," Ron quickly replied with a sheepish look on his face as he slowly slid into his seat beside Hermione.

"Upon confidential information that the Order has uncovered…it appears that Voldemort will make his first move against Hogwarts very soon, possibly as early as Christmas break," Dumbledore calmly said with a deadly serious and somewhat worried look on his face as Ron noticed suddenly just how old Dumbledore was.

"Of course, with most of the students gone it'll be easy for him to have overwhelming numbers," Hermione chimed in with a very worried and shocked look on her face as instantly she whipped her head around to look pleadingly at Ron. At first Ron didn't have a clue as to what to say to try and alleviate Hermione's, or his own, fears. But suddenly a thought hit him.

"Then let him come, we'll be ready for him," Ron stated with a very bold and proud grin on his face as he stuck his chest out a bit and looked every bit the hero.

"Ron, I can't believe that you're making light of this…have you lost your," Hermione started to exclaim with an angry and flabbergasted look on her face before Dumbledore reached a hand up and smiled.

"I think Ms. Granger…that there is more to Ron's jubilant outburst than is at first glance," Dumbledore said with a curious but reserved wink in his eyes as he turned his gaze from Hermione to Ron.

"Right…well if Voldemort attacks during the Christmas break thinking that Hogwarts will be deserted then he's going to have quite the rude awakening," Ron said with a sly grin on his face as he crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back in his chair.

"You surely cannot think of having most of the students fight against Voldemort Ron, they'll be killed before they can even get their wands out of their pockets," Hermione gasped out with a still confused look on her face as she angrily shook her head.

"Of course not Mione, have a little faith…but what you said is true, that's why up until Christmas we need to figure out which students have what it takes to stay and fight against Voldemort, then when the holiday comes and most of the students go back home those that are approved will stay here to help fight, along with the members of the Order and all of the Aurors that we can get, we'll hide everyone throughout Hogwarts and lay a trap for Voldemort and the Death Eaters," Ron said with an eager smile on his face as he turned in his chair and stared directly at Hermione, silently daring her to find a fault in his plan.

"And you expect Voldemort to just walk right into such an obvious trap," Hermione scoffed with a slightly haughty expression on her face as she crossed her own arms and looked away from Ron and to Dumbledore.

"Tom would come if the bait was strong enough, and it is possible that he would become so blinded by rage that he would make such a fatal mistake, however to get him to that level we would need to damage his operation severely," Dumbledore quipped with a very serious and concerned scowl on his face as he furrowed his brows and they almost meshed together into one large eyebrow.

"But how can we do that Professor without having any idea where any of his followers are," Hermione wondered aloud with a confused and unconvinced look on her face as she sat up in her chair and stared straight across the table at Dumbledore.

"Well Ms. Granger we are not without resources, and while it is true that we unfortunately do not know where most of the Death Eaters are…we do know how to find them, I have already sent orders ahead with members of the Order to seek out these meeting spots and report back," Dumbledore said with a competitive glint in his eyes as he turned to Hermione and slowly nodded his head.

"Is there anything that we can do," Hermione asked with an eager expression on her face as she fumbled around in the pockets of her robes for a piece of parchment and a quill.

"Yes, continue to act as normally as possible, as if nothing is out of the ordinary, go to your classes and do your homework, however while you do this seek out those that you believe that would stand with us when Tom comes, but above all else keep this quiet, I don't want anyone outside of this room and members of the Order knowing anything about this," Dumbledore replied with a serious and somewhat concerned look on his face as he slightly leaned forward onto the table and made it a point to look both Ron and Hermione in the eye.

"Of course sir, you can count on us," Ron stammered back weakly at first before his voice gained strength and he finished confidently.

"We won't let you down," Hermione added with an eager smile on her face before she pulled a small inkwell out of one of her pockets and began to furiously scribble down some ideas on the parchment.

"I'm glad to hear it, and now the two of you should hurry along unless you want to be late for your next class," Dumbledore said with a half amused smirk on his face as he leaned back in his chair and gazed over at the clock on the wall.

"Who cares, I've been late hundreds of times," Ron started to say back with a confident air about him as he looked to be trying to get comfortable in his chair.

"One word Ron…potions," Hermione quickly informed him with a nervous and rightfully so scared look on her face as she reached over and laid a hand on Ron's arm. It took a few moments before Hermione's words sank in.

"Bloody hell…Snape," Ron exclaimed loudly with a scares stiff expression on his face before he shot up out of his chair and out of Dumbledore's office.

"Hmpf, I keep telling him and telling him not to swear…but does he ever listen to me, of course not, all he does is smile that special smile of his and I melt…I'm like an amoeba, no backbone to speak of…," Hermione started to ramble with a slightly flustered look on her face as she collected her things, half bowed to Dumbledore, and left the room, still rambling about Ron's affect on her.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"I never thought that Snape could possibly be any more of a git than he already was," Harry grumbled with a frustrated and annoyed frown on his face as he sulked around a corner followed by Ron and Hermione.

"You should know better than that Harry," Ginny chided him with a sly grin on her face as she walked up to the trio and tried not to blush when Harry smiled back at her.

"Yeah, I bet he sits in his office all day just dreaming up new ways to make our lives a living hell," Ron said with a sly grin on his face as he switched his schoolbooks from his left hand to his right.

"But Ron, if he does that then when would he possibly be able to teach," Hermione snickered with an almost giggle worthy smile on her face as she beamed back at Ron, something that luckily for them Ginny and Harry missed as the latter held a door open for the former.

"I'm just glad that Christmas is almost here, I can't wait to go home and not have to worry about schoolwork," Ginny exclaimed with an excited smile on her face as she turned back to Ron and Hermione.

"Me to, I can't wait until the first snowfall," Ron chimed in with a look of expectant joy on his face as Hermione knew from experience that Ron was only waiting for the first snow to fall on Hogwarts so that he could draw everyone into a snowball fight. But just as she was about to speak up a trickle of thoughts slipped into her mind of how this holiday could be different from the others given that she and Ron were now together. These thoughts brought a happy smile to her face that lasted nearly an hour.

"Only because you can't wait to have a snowball fight and catch us all when we're not looking with a snowball to the back of the head," Harry said with a sarcastic grin on his face as he lightly glared across the hallway at Ron, who tried his best to look as innocent as possible.

"That's not true Harry…it's not my fault if you lot can't dodge a simple snowball," Ron exclaimed with a hurt pout on his face as he shook his head and did his best to look like they were all attacking him.

"Well sorry if some of us don't like getting ice cold snow down our backs Ronald," Hermione shot back with an icy glare on her face that she did mostly to keep up appearances, but truth be told she still liked giving as good as she got with Ron.

"You only get ice down your backs because you're so slow and…," Ron started to say to defend himself before Harry and Ginny only shook their heads and hurried off down the hallway, leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

"See what you did Ron, you scared Ginny and Harry away," Hermione snapped with a slightly irritated scowl on her face even though when Ron stopped walking to give a retort she leaned up on her tiptoes and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

"I didn't mean to, it's just that fighting with you must be hardwired into my head somehow," Ron finally said with an odd smirk on his face as he scratched his head and subtly jutted out his lower lip.

"Must be, now come on we have to hurry unless you want to wait for the stairs to go through their complete cycle before we can get back to the common room," Hermione joked with a sly grin on her face as she patted Ron on the shoulder before she started to walk off down the hallway after Harry and Ginny, looking back every few inches to make Ron aware that she was waiting for him to follow her. The two arrived in the common room ten minutes after Harry and Ginny, late enough to find the two having already begun their homework. In the corner of the room furthest away from the fire Hazel and John sat doing their best to keep from fighting.

"Think we should say something to them," Ron asked with an incorrigible smirk on his face as he turned to Hermione and nodded his head towards the two first years in the far corner.

"Don't even think about it Ron, we have homework to do and I'm not going to have my boyfriend flunk out of Hogwarts just because he wanted to play a trick on a couple of first years," Hermione grumbled back harshly under her breath as she made sure that no one heard her call Ron her boyfriend.

"But what's the fun of being in our sixth year if we can't even," Ron started to say through a sad pout as he slumped his shoulders and hung his head before following Hermione over to the two empty seats at the table that Ginny and Harry were already studying at.

"What took you two so long," Ginny asked with a sly grin and wink as Ron and Hermione pulled chairs over to the table and sat down.

"We uh…took in the scenery," Ron stammered out quickly before he ruffled up his hair a bit to try and hide his suddenly bright red ears.

"What scenery, everything's dead out there, it's all brown and sickly looking," Harry commented with a confused look on his face as he glanced up from his parchment and stared oddly at Ron.

"So what are you working on Ginny," Hermione asked with a hurried and odd tone to her voice as she slid over next to Ginny and did her best to change the subject as she saw that Ron was struggling mightily for an answer to Harry's question.

"Transfiguration, McGonagall gave us a seven foot long parchment to write on the origins of transfiguration, and it's due before Christmas," Ginny replied with an odd look on her face as she caught the strange look that Harry was giving her.

"And we still have that history of magic parchment to finish remember Ron," Harry added with a forlorn pout on his face as he lightly elbowed Ron in the ribs. Ron instantly went pink and tried to get Harry to shut up but the damage was already done.

"Ronald Weasley, you told me that you had that parchment done two days ago," Hermione exploded with a very angry and hurt look on her face as she wheeled around to face Ron.

"But I did Mione I swear…but then last night Harry reminded me that it was supposed to be four foot long instead of three," Ron finally replied weakly with a scared look on his face as he drooped his shoulders a bit and hung his head down until his hair covered up his face. Hermione looked ready to let out a string of criticism's at Ron but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the guilty look on Harry's face, that and the boy who lived would not make eye contact with her. He seemed to instead becoming immediately focused on the tip of his quill.

"Sorry Ron, I…didn't know, I shouldn't have yelled at you," Hermione said slowly and softly in a very stifled voice as she did her best to calm down and apologize to Ron. It was all that she could do to keep from hugging him and pushing his hair off of his face in front of Ginny and Harry.

"It's okay, I just didn't want to tell you…thought Harry said that he wouldn't say anything, thanks a lot mate," Ron said back with a conciliatory tone to his voice as he nodded his head and when his gaze met Hermione's they both knew that the discussion was not fully over that both would have more to say late that night in their suite, but for now both were willing to let it drop.

"Sorry Ron, it must have slipped my mind, but look at it this way, at least now you can finish it on time and have Hermione to help you with it," Harry said back at first with a look of regret on his face before he cheered up and his earlier look was replaced by a sly grin.

"I guess, but it's going to be a long time before I tell you any of my secrets," Ron shot back with an icy glare cast Harry's way before he relaxed a bit and turned back to Ginny and Hermione.

"So you mean then that there are other secrets that you've told Harry Ron, ones that I don't know, I wonder what they could be," Ginny began to say with an eager and kidding grin on her face as she set her quill down and looked intently at her older brother.

"Well Ginny," Harry began to say with a sly snicker as he laid his quill down and leaned back slightly in his chair and looked ready to speak before Ron interrupted.

"If you value your life Harry you will not say another word," Ron grumbled with an instantly furious scowl on his face as he reached out and tightly gripped Harry's shoulder, squeezing it hard every time that he opened his mouth.

"Please Ron, let Harry speak, Ginny's not the only one that's interested in all of your deepest and darkest secrets," Hermione added with a humorous grin on her face as she pulled out a quill and parchment and looked ready to jot down any secret that came out of Harry's mouth.

"Any time Harry," Ginny stated with a cheesy grin on her face as she picked her quill back up and pulled out another piece of parchment.

"Harry…if you say one thing then I'm going to tell them both about," Ron started to say with a very threatening scowl on his face before he leaned in close to Harry and whispered something into his ear. Neither Ginny nor Hermione was close enough to hear what Ron whispered to Harry but both knew that it was something important as the grin that was on Harry's face dropped off completely as Ron spoke to him.

"You…you wouldn't," Harry gasped with a look of shock and terror on his face as he leaned back away from Ron and took a sharp breath.

"Just try me Potter," Ron shot back with a devilish grin on his face as he crossed his arms and leaned forward in his seat.

"Anyone want to play chess," Hazel asked with a nervous look on her face as she walked across the common room and stood by the table.

"Not right…you know what Hazel, I think that Harry wants to play chess with you, don't you Harry," Hermione started to say softly to turn Hazel down before she got an idea and the edges of her lips perked up into a smile as she laid her quill down and turned to Harry.

"I do," Harry said with a very stupefied and surprised expression on his face before Ron decided for him.

"Of course you do Harry, but I have to warn you, Hazel here is pretty good, in fact she's almost as good as I am," Ron exclaimed with a very proud smile on his face as he patted Harry hard on the back.

"Yeah, she beat me twice yesterday," Ginny added with a slightly frustrated scowl on her face as Harry could tell that she wasn't happy about having lost to a first year, or anyone else for that matter, at wizard's chess.

"I got lucky Ginny, I barely beat you," Hazel interjected with a very nervous look on her face a she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and Hermione could tell that she was nervous.

"Not true Hazel, you easily defeated her both times, she used an improper opening attack and you took advantage of it, she barely knew what hit her," John countered with a very surprised and confused look on his face before Hermione snapped her head around and glared heavily at him.

"This ought to be fun," Harry grumbled with a slightly scared and confused look on his face before he slid out of his chair and walked over to begin a game of chess.

END OF CHAPTER 9


	13. It's Almost Here

1**LETTERS FROM BEYOND**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, because if I did then Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait but a new chapter is finally here, just wondering when people think that I should have Ron/Hermione tell Harry and Ginny and everyone else that they're together.**

**CHAPTER 10-IT'S ALMOST HERE**

It was now a week before Viktor would arrive and Hermione had noticed that as the days drew nearer to his arrival Ron was becoming more and more anxious. As best she could she would try to calm him down, using almost whatever means necessary. Rather than try to use his studies to ease his anxiety she had instead done something that she considered drastic, taking up her broom and going flying with him. She had been terrified at first to do it but Ron had been incredibly supportive and his words of encouragement had helped a great deal. They had made sure to have her maiden flight be during a time when most of the students were away at Hogsmeade. Despite his usual want to leave the castle every chance that he got flying with Hermione was enough to keep him from even caring about the missed trip. The night before Hermione had talked Ginny into make sure that Harry got out of the castle and had a good time. Ginny had been a little overly eager to help in this matter though before Hermione could ask her about it Harry and Ron had come in through the portrait hole and had explained their latest tussle with Draco. That had ended the conversation right then and there as much of the rest of the night was taken up by Ginny and Hermione trying to calm Ron and Harry down while agreeing with them about how much of a git Draco was.

After her first flight Hermione had devised another way to try and ease Ron's anxiety over Viktor's impending visit. With two weeks left to go she had stopped him from slumbering off to his bedroom and shutting the door behind him and pulled him over to the couch. He had tried to ask her what she was doing but she hushed him and soon the two were asleep on the couch together, with Hermione wrapped warmly in Ron's arms. That arrangement became the norm for the two, as every night would end with Hermione taking a bath after Ron, slipping into her nightgown, and then curling up in Ron's arms on the couch in the main room and falling asleep to Ron telling her one story after another. To her credit Hermione had noticed that at those times, where it was just the two of them under the glow of the firelight, that Ron did indeed begin to relax, if only a little.

"And what did Ginny do then," Hermione asked softly with a content smile on her face as she snuggled up closer to Ron and took in the familiar scent of candy, figuring that Ron had dipped into his secret stash while waiting for her to take her bath.

"You should have been there Mione, she cast a bat bogey hex on them that lasted for three whole days, they don't usually last that long but mum was so mad at them that she made Fred degnome the garden while George had to clean the entire house, dad took their wands away so that they couldn't fix it themselves, it was hilarious," Ron replied with an amused smirk on his face as he twirled one of Hermione's curls around his finger and gently rubbed the back of her hand with the thumb of his other hand.

"You should have taken a picture, then you could have used it against them the next time that they played a trick on you or Ginny," Hermione offered with a helpful smile on her face as she turned her head and looked up into Ron's face as he couldn't help but smile back at her. Within seconds of staring deeply into each other's eyes their lips met.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Ron said suddenly with a nervous and guilty look on his face as he pulled away from Hermione a bit and looked away.

"What...why not, I thought that," Hermione started to say with a very surprised and slightly hurt look on her face and tone to her voice as she tried to get Ron to look her in the eye.

"We shouldn't be lying to Harry and Ginny, they should know that we're together," Ron said with a guilty and slightly scared look on his face as he was finally able to look back at Hermione. Almost instantly her greatest fear subsided and she switched gears.

"Ron, I thought that we'd already talked about this, we're keeping Harry and Ginny in the dark about us to protect them," Hermione said with a still worried but slightly calmer look on her face as she lifted her hand up and gently caressed Ron's cheek.

"You told Krum, and he's coming here, why is he any," Ron asked with a confused look on his face as he shook his head and then twirled a bit more of Hermione's hair around his left index finger.

"Because I know that I can trust Viktor to keep our secret, and if he doesn't then I'm sure that you can tell him of our displeasure," Hermione replied with a sincere and honest look on her face as Ron searched her face for any hint of untruth, but after having not found any at all he relaxed.

"Sorry...it's just perfect being with you and I don't want anything to go wrong and," Ron started to say with an embarrassed and guilty look on his face as his shoulders sagged a bit and his bottom lip jutted out somewhat in a defeated pose before Hermione decided that she had seen enough. Shaking her head while smiling Hermione reached her arm around Ron's head and pulled him down into a kiss that she hoped would leave nothing to be misunderstood. Ever since she and Ron had started dating she had found herself doing things that she had previously thought were definitely not her. Getting all giddy towards the end of a class with the thought of seeing his smile in mere moments, lying all of the time to cover up their secret rendevous', and caring about her appearance more than studying.

"We're fine Ron, nothing's going to go wrong, we'll tell Harry and Ginny about our relationship when the time is right, I don't know when that right time will be but I can assure you that it is not now and it will not be the right time while Viktor is here," Hermione said with a very certain look on her face as she sat up and turned to Ron, interlacing their fingers as a sign a support.

"I hope you're right, the last thing that we need is for a stranger to be the one to tell Harry, he'd never forgive us," Ron said with a very concerned look on his face before Hermione reached up and softly rubbed her thumb across his cheek, hoping to allay at least a few of his fears in the process.

"Not to mention Ginny, she'd throttle you if she found out that you were hiding something this big from her," Hermione said back with a sly grin on her face as she balled up her fist and lightly tapped Ron on the chest with it.

"Don't remind me, but she couldn't be any worse than Fred and George if they found out before we were ready for them, I'd never hear the end of it," Ron groaned with a fake look of annoyance on his face before his face broke up into a cheeky grin.

"Actually I think that they'd be happy for you, but probably not without a bit of ribbing," Hermione countered with an optimistic smile on her face before she leaned in and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Then Fleur would start asking you all kinds of questions...she'd want to know everything," Ron joked with a sly grin on his face as he gave Hermione a squeeze.

"Yeah well she can continue to wonder, I'd tell Ginny and Harry myself before I'd ever let that...before I'd let her know about us," Hermione countered with a frustrated and unhappy scowl on her face as she lifted her head up off of Ron's shoulder and looked him squarely in the face.

"You don't think that Lupin or Tonks have said anything about us to anyone, they said that they wouldn't but you know how Tonks can get when she's excited about something, she could blurt it out without meaning to," Ron said with a suddenly worried look on his face as he then stretched his legs out a bit as they had begun to cramp up.

"I don't think that they've said anything, they said that they wouldn't and I believe them, they don't have anything to gain from telling anyone, they'll keep our secret just like Viktor will," Hermione said with a resoundingly confident tone to her voice and look on her face before she leaned in and kissed Ron again.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

The next few days were peaceful for the most part and nothing more was spoken about telling anyone about their relationship until the night before Krum was supposed to arrive and Dumbledore asked them to come and see him before they went to bed. Hermione was ready and sitting impatiently on the couch in the main room when Ron had staggered in after a particularly tough practice and wasn't in any mood to go anywhere. But after a bit of convincing he had disappeared into the bathroom and twenty minutes later emerged looking mostly read to go see the headmaster.

"Come on Ron hurry up we're going to be late, here let me do that if I let you do it it'll take a fortnight," Hermione said with an impatient scowl on her face as she batted Ron's hands away from his tie and started to tie it herself as he switched to buttoning up the buttons on his shirt.

"It would not," Ron said back with a pout that he had intended to make himself look angry but instead Hermione found it looking sexy and almost irresistible. To combat that she focused on his tie and only looked back up at his face once she was completely done with it and had composed herself accordingly.

"I guess that we'll never know," Hermione joked back with a soft giggle as she turned and picked up Ron's robes before dumping them into his hands and soon after leaving the room. Hermione was halfway to Dumbledore's office before Ron caught up, thanks in no small part to his long legs.

"What are you in such a hurry for," Ron asked with a slightly annoyed frown on his face as he caught up to her and slowed down to her pace.

"If Dumbledore asked us to come so close to the holiday and with what he said earlier about Voldemort likely attacking soon then any meeting would be very important," Hermione replied with an interested look on her face as she stepped around a corner and saw the entrance to Dumbledore's office at the far end of the hall.

"But if he thought that Voldemort was going to attack us anytime this week then wouldn't he have said something to the other teachers, they all seem eager for the break, not the least bit ready for battle," Ron argued with a confused and still unsure look on his face as he finally managed to get his robes fully on and not flopping about his ankles.

"He probably didn't want to alarm anyone Ron, think about it, if he had told the other teachers then they might have tipped off the students that there was something wrong, if there were a spy here at Hogwarts then Voldemort might have found out that he had lost the element of surprise and then who knows what he'd do...fizzlebies," Hermione stated back with a very confident and together tone to her voice as she gathered up her robes and hiked them up a bit so that she wouldn't trip on them as she spoke the password and the stairs appeared before them.

"I hope you're right, but if that's what we're here for then why isn't Harry here, shouldn't he be the first one to know if ole Dumbledore found out that Voldemort is going to definitely attack us soon," Ron countered with a somber expression on his face as he followed Hermione up the steps. She started to reply to his statement but realized that he was right and could only scowl lightly in his general direction as they walked into Dumbledore's office.

"Good afternoon sir," Ron and Hermione said together as they walked towards the headmaster, his head bowed a bit as he was slipping on his half moon spectacles.

"Ron...Hermione, so glad that you could come on such short notice, rest assured that I would not have asked you to come if it were not of the gravest concern to me," Dumbledore said with a thankful but still slightly nervous look on his face as he stood up to warmly greet the two heads.

"We completely understand sir...don't we Ron," Hermione said back quickly with as polite of tone to her voice and smile on her face as she could muster as the two sat down in chairs that magically moved back and forth to aid in their sitting down in them.

"R...right, sure," Ron stammered out with a nervous and confused look on his face as he sat down and looked back and forth between Hermione and Dumbledore.

"Now the reason that I've brought you here is that...the night before everyone leaves for holiday we are going to have a winter ball here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said with at first a serious look on his face before he broke out into a warm smile. Ron and Hermione stared at him silently for several seconds, with looks on their faces that seemed to suggest that they believed that he had gone mad.

"Sir...are you sure that it's wise, you said that Voldemort was probably going to attack any day now, is it wise to hold a ball so close to his attack," Hermione finally asked with a confused look on her face and concerned tone to her voice as she sat up straight in her chair and looked straight across the desk at Dumbledore.

"While your concerns are valid Ms. Granger I do not believe that Tom will attack the school while it is filled with students and faculty, he more than likely will wait until the holiday break when he believes that Hogwarts will be easy picking and his victory assured, by that time those who will fight him will be ready and waiting and those that would only be hurt in a battle will be safely far away at home," Dumbledore answered with a kind and warm smile on his face as he let out a deep breath and slowly nodded his head.

"Okay...so we're going to have another ball, but why are you telling us this, shouldn't the prefects be here to," Ron asked with a nervous and confused look on his face as he looked first to Dumbledore and then to Hermione, emboldened by the supportive look on her face.

"They are not here because I am putting the two of you in charge of this ball, if Tom is to attack soon after it then I want to make sure that Harry has a chance to have a little bit of fun before the war hits home, and who better to make sure that happens then his two best friends, plus you can be each others date for the ball and say that as Head Boy and Head Girl that you had to go together, thus not risking the truth about your relationship being revealed before you're ready to do it yourselves," Dumbledore replied with an honest expression on his face as he reached back, opened up a drawer, and then pulled out a file and set it down on the top of his desk in front of Hermione.

"What's this sir," Hermione asked with a slightly confused tone to her voice as she reached out and picked up the file, but looked back at Dumbledore before opening it.

"It is at the same time a file of the names of those that I believe are up to the challenge of confronting Voldemort and his Death Eaters as well as information about the ball," Dumbledore replied with a slight twinkle in his eyes as Hermione started to read down the list of names with Ron looking over it as well by leaning almost fully out of his chair.

"There isn't very many names sir...and are you sure about this ball, they never seem to go to well," Ron grumbled with a worried expression on his face as he stopped looking at the file in Hermione's hands and looked back at Dumbledore.

"That's only because you weren't with me," Hermione quipped with only the subtlest of smiles on her face as she continued to read through the file while Dumbledore answered.

"You are correct Ronald, there aren't many names there, however I believe that those names listed will be good enough when joined by the Order and auror's from the ministry, we just might stand a chance of ending it all right here," Dumbledore answered with a calm but yet serious look on his face as he momentarily glanced over at Fawkes as the phoenix squawked oddly.

"I hope you're right, I honestly don't know what I'll do when Voldemort is gone and this is all over, it just won't feel right," Ron said with a confused frown on his face as he sat back down in his chair and looked straight across the desk at the headmaster.

"What you will do when this is all over is go on with your lives and live them to the fullest, this war has gone on far to long and cost to much pain and suffering, the world will be a better place for all of us when it is over, but for now the two of you should be worrying about the ball, I'm looking forward to it," Dumbledore said with a very serious look on his face as he scooted his chair back and then stood up, prompting Ron and Hermione to do the same.

"We won't let you down sir," Hermione said with a very calm and honest tone to her voice as the two saluted the headmaster and then left his office. Ron kept quiet until the two were halfway back to their dorm.

"Hermione, can I ask you something," Ron said with a nervous and slightly embarrassed look on his face as he stopped Hermione and looked her in the eye.

"Yes," Hermione wondered aloud with a bit of concern in her voice as she closed the file and looked up at Ron, just barely being able to stop herself from taking one of his hands in her own as a small group of first years walked by at that moment.

"Will you go to the ball with me, you said that the next time there was a ball that I should ask you first and not as a last resort so," Ron started to say with an oddly nervous and scared look on his face and tone to his voice before Hermione stopped him with a finger on his lips.

"Yes," Hermione whispered with a voice full of love and relief before she replaced her finger on his lips with hers and the two backed into a closet to snog in peace.

END OF CHAPTER 10


	14. Tempered Firsts

LETTERS FROM BEYOND 

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters because if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 11-TEMPERED FIRSTS**

It was now a week before Viktor would arrive and Hermione had noticed that as the days drew nearer to his arrival that Ron was becoming more and more anxious. As best she could she would try to calm him down, using almost whatever means necessary. Rather than try to use his studies to ease his anxiety she had instead done something drastic, taking up her broom and going flying with him. She had been terrified at first to do it but Ron had been incredibly supportive and his words of encouragement had helped a great deal. They had made sure to have her maiden flight be during a time when most of the students were away at Hogsmeade. The night before Hermione had talked Ginny into making sure that Harry got out of the castle and had a good time. Ginny had been a little overly eager to help in this matter though before Hermione could ask her about it Harry and Ron had come in through the portrait hole and had explained their latest tussle with Draco. That had ended the conversation right then and there as much of the rest of the night was taken up by Ginny and Hermione trying to calm Harry and Ron down while agreeing with them about Draco.

After her first flight Hermione had devised another way to try and ease Ron's anxiety over Viktor's visit. With two weeks left to go she had stopped him from slumbering off to his bedroom and shutting the door behind him and pulled him over to the couch. He had tried to ask her what she was doing but she hushed him and soon the two were asleep on the couch together, with Hermione wrapped warmly in Ron's arms. That arrangement became the norm for the two, as every night would end with Hermione taking a bath, slipping into her nightgown, and then curling up in Ron's arms on the couch in the main room and falling asleep to Ron telling her one story after another. To her credit Hermione had noticed that at those times, where it was just the two of them, that Ron did indeed begin to relax, if only slightly.

"And what did Ginny do then," Hermione asked softly with a content smile on her face as she snuggled up closer to Ron and took in the scent of candy, figuring that Ron had dipped into his stash while waiting for her to take her bath.

"You should have been there Mione, she cast a bat bogey hex on them that lasted for three days, they don't usually last that long but mum was so mad at them that she made Fred degnome the garden while George had to clean the entire house, dad took their wands away so that they couldn't fix it themselves, it was hilarious," Ron replied with an amused smirk on his face as he twirled one of her curls around his finger and gently rubbed the back of her hand with the thumb of his other hand.

"You should have taken a picture, then you could use it against them the next time that they play a trick on you or Ginny," Hermione offered with a helpful smile on her face as she turned her head and looked up into Ron's face as he couldn't help but smile back at her. Within seconds of staring deeply into each other's eyes their lips met.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Ron said suddenly with a nervous and guilty look on his face as he pulled away from Hermione a bit and looked away.

"What…why not, I thought that," Hermione started to say with a very surprised and slightly hurt look on her face and tone to her voice as she tried to get Ron to look her in the eye.

"We shouldn't be lying to Harry and Ginny, they should know that we're together," Ron said with a guilty and slightly scared look on his face as he was finally able to look back at Hermione. Almost instantly her greatest fear subsided and she switched gears.

"Ron, I thought that we'd already talked about this, we're keeping Harry and Ginny in the dark about us to protect them," Hermione said with a still worried but slightly calmer look on her face as she lifted her hand and gently caressed Ron's cheek.

"You told Krum, and he's coming here, why is he any," Ron asked with a confused look on his face as he shook his head and then twirled a little bit of Hermione's hair around his left index finger.

"Because I know that I can trust Viktor to keep our secret, and if he doesn't then I'm sure that you can tell him of our displeasure," Hermione replied with a sincere and honest look on her face as Ron searched her face and gaze for any hint of untruth, but after having not found any at all he relaxed.

"Sorry…it's just perfect being with you and I don't want anything to go wrong and," Ron started to say with an embarrassed and guilty look on his face as his shoulders sagged a bit and his bottom lip jutted out somewhat in a defeated pose before Hermione decided that she had seen enough. Shaking her head while smiling Hermione reached her arm around Ron's head and pulled him into a kiss that she hoped would leave nothing to be misunderstood. Ever since she and Ron had started dating she had found herself doing things that she thought were definitely not her. Getting all giddy towards the end of a class with the thought of seeing his smile in mere moments, lying all of the time to cover up their secret rendezvous', and caring about her appearance more than studying.

"We're fine Ron, nothing's going to go wrong, we'll tell Harry and Ginny about our relationship when the time is right, I don't know when that right time will be but I can assure you that it is not now and it will not be the right time while Viktor is here," Hermione said with a very certain look on her face as she sat up and turned to Ron, interlacing their fingers as a sign of support.

"I hope you're right, the last thing that we need is for a stranger to be the one to tell Harry, he'd never forgive us," Ron said with a very concerned look on his face before Hermione reached up and softly rubbed her thumb on his cheek, hoping to allay at least a few of his fears.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Viktor's visit came and went, with Ron being as civil as he could to the Bulgarian. Harry had been in better spirits during the visit, though that was partially due to Ginny not letting him dwell on the past or the war with Voldemort. Hermione had gotten through the time while being with Viktor just enough to be called a good host while not staying around him any longer than she absolutely had to so as to not prompt Ron to pout. She thought about arguing that he should relax and understand that she was just trying to play the well mannered host but she knew how active Ron's imagination was, and how quick his self doubt could come back. She knew that a lot of his strength stemmed directly from his emotions. Ever since they had officially become a couple and kept it a secret the number of times that Ron had screwed a spell up had diminished significantly. Whenever he would begin to doubt himself she would walk or snuggle up to him, wrap his arms around her waist, and then softly remind him of that fact while looking straight into his eyes. A few moments later the smiled that she loved so dearly would return to his face and the two would go back to whatever it was that they had been doing before Ron's sudden bout on melancholy.

"I'm proud of you," Hermione said softly with a very honest tone to her voice and look in her eyes as she turned around and looked back at Ron across the hallway after having sent a letter off to her parents.

"What for," Ron asked with a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face as he quickly glanced both ways to make sure that no one was there before he walked over and laid his hands on Hermione's hips.

"For not fighting with Viktor while he was here, and for not getting jealous and starting a row with me or anyone else just to make yourself feel better, I loved you before he came to Hogwarts and I am still in love with you now, that will never change," Hermione stated with a very clear and confidant look on her face as she leaned her body up against Ron's and smiled up at him, lightly scratching the head boy badge on his chest with her fingernails.

"From your mouth to Merlin's ears," Ron whispered down softly with an anxious but relieved half smirk on his face before he leaned down and kissed Hermione's lips, not caring at that moment whether anyone saw them or not.

"We…should get moving, before someone sees us," Hermione groaned out softly with a reluctant tone to her voice as only her rational side was telling her to get moving to protect their secret, her other sides were all in agreement. Stay where she was and snog Ron senseless.

"But," Ron started to mumble back in a soft argument before Hermione let out a sigh and pulled him back down into another kiss.

"No one can see us if we're in our suite," Hermione mumbled with a slightly gleeful smirk on her face into Ron's ear before she took him by the hand and started to quickly pull him along down the hallway as fast as she could go without causing Ron to trip and fall on top of her.

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"A penny for your thoughts," Ginny asked softly with a concerned frown on her face as she sat down on the bench beside Harry, all the while trying not to look directly at his face.

"Huh…oh Ginny, what did you say," Harry stammered out with a lost look on his face as it became painfully obvious to Ginny that up until she spoke he had been off in a sort of dream-world.

"I asked if there was something on your mind, but I can already see that there is so…you wanna talk about it, it might help you know," Ginny calmly replied with a subdued smile on her face as she turned to look at Harry as she let out the breath that she had been holding while waiting for him to speak.

"It's nothing Ginny, really," Harry started to reply with an almost condescending frown on his face before he was rudely interrupted by Ginny smacking him hard on the back of his head. "Hey, what was that for," Harry growled with a shocked and upset scowl on his face as he rubbed the back of his head while glaring over at Ginny.

"For lying to me Harry, I know you better than you think I do, something big is bothering you and unless you talk about it you'll just bottle it up inside and let it make you miserable until something happens that forces it out into the open, and I care about you to much to sit back and watch you suffer needlessly like that," Ginny calmly explained with a very honest and worried look on her face as despite his best efforts Harry could feel all of the anger towards Ginny quickly and quietly leaving his body as she spoke.

"It's not that bad really," Harry started to softly plead with a nervous look on his face before he jumped back as Ginny raised her hand again, with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Don't make me hit you again Harry Potter, tell me the truth, what's really bugging you," Ginny started to say with a proud and confident grin on her face before her countenance softened as her look became soft and sweet. Harry thought about just coming up with some excuse as to what was bothering him rather than admit that he was terrified of the prospect of the fight with Voldemort being so close at hand. His thoughts were interrupted and put to rest immediately by a simple act on Ginny's part. Wanting to keep his attention on her and not somewhere else she became daring and laid her left hand on his left knee, turning in her seat just a bit so that she was facing him sitting sideways on the bench.

"Eh…okay, he's coming…probably any day now, before I always had time to think, time to get ready, but now with it all coming down to the next few days…I don't know if I'm ready," Harry stated back sadly with a nervous look on his face before he wiped his hands down the length of his lap and then stood up.

"It's okay to be scared Harry, but you can't let that fear control you or you've already lost," Ginny said with a heartfelt look of concern on her face and tone to her voice before she stood up and positioned herself directly in front of Harry so he had to look at her.

"Easy for you to say, he's not after you," Harry mumbled back softly with a slightly angry scowl on his face as he averted his gaze from her face, which became increasingly hard to do as she refused to budge from her spot.

"You sure about that Harry, sure you're the boy that lived, but do you really think that he's only after you, you might be the one person that can defeat him but what about the rest of us, you think that he's just going to let us walk away from this," Ginny stated with a very clear and straightforward tone to her voice as she reached up and laid a hand on Harry's arm.

"I know, it's just that when the time comes for our final battle I have a bad feeling that it'll just be the two of us," Harry replied with an anxious frown on his face as he tried to lift his gaze up to Ginny's face but only succeeded in bringing it up to first her chest. When he realized what part of Ginny he was staring at her blushed and lifted his gaze a little bit more up to her chin, hoping that she hadn't noticed.

"Eyes up here Harry," Ginny whispered softly with a sweet tone to her voice and goofy grin on her face before she blushed deeper than she ever had at the thought of what she had said. "Dumbledore won't let that happen Harry, he'll be there for you when the times comes…we all will," Ginny continued with an earnest look in her eyes as she gave Harry's arm a squeeze, an act that finally brought a smile to Harry's face, albeit ever so briefly.

"Really," Harry mumbled back softly with a hesitant expression on his face as he suddenly registered how close he and Ginny were actually standing and how serene their surroundings were.

"Of course, we Weasley's never forget a friend, and you're practically family…so don't even think for a moment that you can't count on me," Ginny replied with a very confidant smile on her face as he gave Harry's arm another squeeze before Harry spoke up after catching her oversight.

"I can count on you can I…well what about Ron," Harry asked with an amused smirk on his face that made Ginny look on at first with a confused pout on her face, one that Harry couldn't help but think made her look beautiful, before her eyes grew wide as she realized what it was that she had said and looked away, blushing so deeply that her ears looked like tamales.

"H…Him to, Hermione won't let him be anywhere else…you know if I didn't know better I'd think that there was something going on between those two the way that they've been acting recently," Ginny stuttered out softly at first before she regained her composure and conjectured about the status of Ron and Hermione's relationship.

"Really, how so," Harry asked softly with a relieved feeling in his heart at being able to talk about something other than Voldemort for at least a few moments.

"Well, have you noticed how they haven't really had a good row in weeks, they used to fight all of the time, you could nearly tell time by those two, but now they're almost to quiet," Ginny replied with a deep in thought frown on her face as her lower lip slid out just enough to catch Harry's eye. He couldn't help but blush when Ginny noticed that he was looking at her.

"I know what you mean, yesterday at breakfast Ron said a whole sentence with his mouth full and Hermione didn't say anything, she just kept reading the Daily Prophet," Harry said back with a thoughtful expression on his face as he tried to think back to the last time that he could remember Ron and Hermione really going at it but was distracted by the sight in front of him of Ginny with snowflakes beginning to accumulate in her hair and her rosy red cheeks as she was looking back up at him.

"Though for all we know they could fight but we just don't see it very often, what with them being Head Boy and Head Girl, they have that suite to themselves and all," Ginny started to say with a calm look on her face before Harry reached up and gently brushed some snow out of her hair.

"It's possible, maybe I could get Dobby to follow them around, see if they fight when we're not looking," Harry offered with a thoughtful smile on his face as he pulled his hand back as Ginny did her best not to blush anymore.

"Do you think that he'd do it," Ginny asked with an unconvinced expression on her face as she took a half step back, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and looked up at Harry.

"Of course, I think Dobby would jump off of the astronomy tower if I told him to," Harry started to say with a confidant look on his face before Ginny frowned up at him and interrupted.

"That's not what I meant," Ginny interjected with a none to pleased frown on her face, instantly reminding Harry of how Mrs. Weasley looked when Ron and the twins had borrowed their fathers flying car and rescued him before second year.

"Sorry, it's just that he takes whatever I say literally, I have to watch everything that I say around him or he'll take something the wrong way and hurt himself because he thinks that he did something wrong," Harry mumbled back softly at first with a guilty look on his face as he took a couple of steps backwards and sat back down on the bench.

"It must come from how the Malfoy's treated him, they couldn't have been very nice to him, knowing them they probably watched Dobby punishing himself for sport," Ginny grumbled with an unhappy scowl on her face as she walked over and then sat back down beside Harry.

"Yet another reason that they should all be locked up," Harry added with an angry frown on his face, a look that Ginny had grown to love even though it was not indicative of one of his happier emotions.

"You're quite right, but until then we need to keep from freezing to death," Ginny stated with at first a chipper smirk on her face before Harry noticed her shivering a bit.

"You're freezing, we should get inside before you get sick," Harry started to say with a concerned look on his face as he felt how cold Ginny's cheeks were before then trying to lead her back into the castle

"N…N…not really, I…I'm not…th…that c…cold," Ginny stammered out through slightly chattering teeth before she surprised even herself as she stopped Harry and then snuggled up against him for warmth. Initially Harry was to stunned by Ginny's sudden act to do much other than move his lips as if to speak but no words came out.

"Yes you are, you're so cold that you're teeth are chattering," Harry finally managed to argue back with a serious look of worry on his face as he wrapped his arms around Ginny and pulled her closer.

"N…no they're…okay, m…maybe just a little," Ginny started to shoot back with a defiant expression on her face before she softened and smiled as she dreamily lifted her chin up until she was staring straight into Harry's eyes. Neither moved for several moments before together, almost as if on cue, it happened. Later both would say that the other acted first, but regardless of who was correct in the end it was on that cold winter afternoon that the two shared their first kiss. When they finally came up for air both smiled and started to lean back in to kiss again when the alarm was sounded, Voldemort and his Death Eaters had been spotted.

END OF CHAPTER 11


	15. War Comes To Hogwarts

LETTERS FROM BEYOND 

**Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 11-WAR COMES TO HOGWARTS**

Warning alarms rang out throughout the castle and grounds. Hagrid could be seen racing out of the woods in a mad dash towards the back gates. Harry and Ginny instantly broke off the kiss but from the look in her eyes Harry knew that she had both liked the kiss and longed to continue. Rather than speak Harry took a hold of her hand and the two quickly began to race back towards what they hoped was the relative safety of the castle. They had just slipped into the castle and slammed the doors shut behind them when the battle firmly commenced.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Hermione and Ron had almost made it back to their head suite when the first alarm had rung out through the cold winter air. At first neither one was quite sure exactly what was happening. Ron guessed that perhaps Hagrid had stepped on something like a tack. Hermione was quick to downplay any chance of that and she hurriedly informed him otherwise. They thought about rushing off to find Harry and Ginny and make sure that they were safe but in a stroke of genius Ron stated that they had forgotten their wands in the suite. After retrieving their wands and a few specialties they raced back towards the back gate, hoping that Harry and Ginny would soon meet them, hoping that they weren't to late.

"Harry," Hermione exclaimed with a mostly frantic but more than a bit relieved tone to her voice as she and Ron rounded a corner and caught sight of Harry and Ginny racing up some steps.

"Ron, Hermione are you guys okay," Harry shouted back with a very serious look on his face as he and Ginny finished racing up the stairs and came up to stand on the same level that Ron and Hermione were.

"So far, but Harry…this is it isn't it, he's really here," Hermione replied with a relieved smile on her face at first before her expression fell as the full weight of the situation at hand hit her.

"Looks like it," Harry softly said back with a deadly serious look on his face as all of the color that had been in his cheeks moments before instantly drained out.

"What do we do now," Ginny asked with a very hurried and scared look in her eyes though she kept the emotion out of her voice as she turned to Harry first and then to Ron and Hermione.

"We have to find Dumbledore and the other teachers, they'll know what to do," Harry replied with a very nervous and serious expression on his face as he gave Ginny's hand a hard squeeze of support.

"They'd better, wait…what about the Order, Lupin and the others won't even know until it's to late," Ron started to say with a relieved half smile on his face before a troubling thought occurred to him.

"Some of them are here already Ron, and the rest can just apparate close enough and go from there, trust me…there'll be an army of aurors here in no time," Hermione replied with an anxious look in her eyes as she let go of Ron's hand, glad that Ginny and Harry hadn't noticed.

"Well we can't wait for them here, come on," Harry shot back with a determined and impatient expression on his face before took off back up the steps that Ron and Hermione had just run down, heading for the main hall. Ginny immediately took off after him and soon disappeared around a corner. Ron grumbled unhappily under his breath before he started to take off after them but only got a few steps away before he realized that Hermione wasn't following him. Almost on a dime he stopped running, turned around, and hurried back to her side.

"What are you doing Hermione, come on," Ron started to demand with a very serious look on his face before she raised her head up to look at him with tears forming in her eyes.

"It's all happening so fast, I thought we'd have more time, what if," Hermione started to stutter out with an absolutely terrified look in her eyes before Ron took hold of her arms and shook her a bit.

"We knew this could happen Hermione, we hoped that it wouldn't come to this but it was always a possibility," Ron snapped back with a hurried and impatient tone to his voice as he wanted desperately to be racing off after Harry and Ginny but knew that he had to settle this first.

"But this is the end, one way or another this is the," Hermione started to argue with a very honest look of concern in her eyes as she looked up at Ron before he leaned down and kissed her with as much love and passion as he could muster.

"No, this is not the end, I won't let it be," Ron stated back to Hermione with a very firm and determined tone to his voice and look in his eyes after breaking the kiss.

"Me either, but just so you know, you do anything stupid like jumping in front of a spell meant for me and I'll hex you," Hermione said back with a now equally determined and serious look on her face before she stood up on her tiptoes and gave Ron a powerful kiss back. When she broke the kiss she flashed a smile his way and then raced off after Harry and Ginny. Moments later Ron let out a frustrated and confused growl and then took off after Hermione.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"Minerva, are all of the students accounted for," Dumbledore asked with a very impatient and hurried look on his face as the students in the immediate area as well as several aurors and members of the Order of The Phoenix were busy clearing the tables out of the main hall.

"Almost Albus, the Weasley's, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are unaccounted for," McGonagall answered with a very concerned and apprehensive expression on her face as she wrung her hands in frustration before one of the side doors burst open and Harry and Ginny flew in.

"Professor, Voldemort and the Death Eaters are," Harry started to exclaim with an exasperated look on his face as he stopped to try and catch his breath before Dumbledore waived him off.

"Yes Harry we know, are the four of you alright," Dumbledore interjected with a very serious, but underneath very relieved, look in his eyes before he patted Harry on the shoulder.

"Yes sir, Ron and Hermione should be right behind us," Ginny added with a grim look on her face as she had also stopped to catch her breath, gesturing back towards the door that they had both just run through.

"Well we'll just have to fill them in when they arrive," Dumbledore started to say with a very serious sigh as he half turned around before Ron and Hermione burst into the room, with Hermione almost completely out of breath.

"We're here," Ron announced with what little breath he had left as he turned around and shut the door behind them while Hermione plopped down onto one of the few benches that was still left standing.

"Thank Merlin…that's everyone Albus, we should get them to the room of requirement now, we can't wait," McGonagall stated with a sigh of relief before her expression grew very serious as she spoke.

"The room of requirement," Ginny exclaimed with a confused and surprised look on her face as she quickly looked to Dumbledore before turning back to Harry, silently asking him with her gaze what they were talking about.

"Why would we go there, there's no telling what," Hermione started to ask with a very curious and deep in thought expression on her face as she took a step away from Ron and looked up at McGonagall.

"Precisely Ms. Granger, were the battle between Mr. Potter and Lord Voldemort to take place there then any damage would be limited to that room and anything that Harry could need would come to him, it's the safest place," McGonagall replied with a calm mask on her face though her eyes told the true story of concern and nervousness.

"What about the rest of us, I'm not going to let Harry fight alone," Ron declared with a very serious and determined look on his face as he stepped up in between Dumbledore and McGonagall and almost dared them to tell him no.

"Of course not Mr. Weasley, the three of you will be taken to the room of requirement before Miss Weasley will follow us back here, if all goes well," McGonagall started to say with a very serious look on her face before a second set of alarms rang out, signaling that the first group of death eaters had entered the school grounds.

"I'm going with Harry, wherever he goes I go," Ginny declared with a very certain and determined frown on her face as she whirled around on Dumbledore and McGonagall, hoping to get across to them her ardent intention of going everywhere Harry went until it was all over.

"Ginny," Ron started to grumble back with a scared and anxious expression on his face as he reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder before she jerked away.

"Don't say it Ron, I'm not to young, I'm almost as old as you are and I can cast a better bat bogey hex than anyone here, I'm not some child that you can just leave behind," Ginny exclaimed with a very angry and scared silly look in her eyes as she got up in Ron's face and dared him to argue with her.

"You are correct Miss Weasley, you are not to young, however for us to be successful in this endeavor we are going to need someone that we can trust absolutely to watch our backs and if necessary run to the others and alert them if anything happens," Dumbledore replied with a very wise look on his face as he turned to Ginny and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked all flushed and ready to fight but try as she might she couldn't stay angry at Dumbledore for long.

"Fine…but if you…don't go and do something stupid like getting yourself killed okay, you either," Ginny grumbled out softly with a sad and defeated look on her face as her shoulders slumped and she knew that she had lost before she made sure that she got in one last word to Harry. As she was almost done speaking her gaze shifted to Ron and she copied her declaration to him, insanely dreading the thought of having to be the one to tell their mother that he was dead. She started to speak again but this time to Hermione but the older young woman silenced her with a nod of her head and a warm hug.

"Be safe Ginny," Ron said softly with a scared tone to his voice, one that made both Weasley's shiver, before he gave Ginny a bone-crushing hug, one that he was glad to feel returned with an equal fervor. Hermione looked like she was going to say something as tears started to spring up to her eyes but she recovered quickly and launched herself at Ginny, giving her a hug that was almost as powerful as Ron's.

"We should go Harry, it won't be long now," Dumbledore finally said softly with an unhappy tone to his voice as Harry could tell that he didn't like being the one that had to break up the good feelings.

"Right…guess it's now or never," Harry said softly after taking a deep breath before he gave Ginny one last meaningful look, which she clearly understood that he not only meant to make it through the fight alive but that he wanted to see her after it was all said and done, and then marched calmly out of the main hall and started off towards the room of requirement.

"Always has to be first," Ron grumbled weakly in protest before he couldn't help but smile widely and pat Ginny on the shoulder before he started off after Harry.

"We should go now, we need to give Harry as much time to prepare as possible if he hopes to defeat Voldemort tonight," McGonagall said softly with a very serious look on her face before she ushered Ginny and Hermione out of the main hall and into the hallway outside, heading them all towards the room of requirement.

"Whoever would have thought that it would end like this…eh Tom," Dumbledore whispered very softly, almost to himself, with a slightly sarcastic tone to his voice before he smirked at the thought and then walked out of the main hall.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

"Never thought that it would all end here," Ron stated with a less than happy frown on his face as he carefully picked his way through the room of requirement. Before entering Harry had made his choice and the room had configured itself to look oddly a lot like the chamber of secrets where he had fought the basilisk. Though he had been with Harry at the time Ron had never actually seen the chamber for himself, remarking that he didn't quite like it upon getting his first glimpse. Hermione could only softly say that it was big as her eyes had grown large while taking it all in.

"Oh Ron don't be silly, it's not all going to end here, Harry will win and we'll have the rest of our lives to be together," Hermione replied softly at first almost in a scolding way before she put a little to much emotion into the last bit. She blushed furiously and turned away as Harry whipped his head around and looked her way with a confused look on his face as he had understood that there was much more to her words than appeared so outwardly, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what. He tried to look to Ron but the redhead had also turned away, this time staring down at his feet, but Harry could have sworn that both of his ears were bright red.

"Er…Hermione's right, at least I hope she's right…when has she ever been wrong before," Harry stammered out with an unsure smile on his face at first before he tried to lighten the mood up a bit, much to his chagrin.

"Well there was that time with who wanted the sorcerer's stone in first year, then there was the," Ron started to chime in with a slightly amused smirk on his face as he began to gleefully list off the number of times that Hermione had been wrong before she let out an impatient sigh, walked over to him, and smacked him hard on the back of his head. "Hey…what was that for," Ron exclaimed with a slightly pained grimace on his face as he reached up and began to gingerly rub the spot on the back of his head where Hermione had smacked him.

"For being such a prat," Hermione stated plainly before she turned away and hurried over to hug Harry. "We're with you Harry, all the way to the end, don't forget that, Voldemort may be powerful but you have something that he doesn't, a power that he can't hope to compete with," Hermione added with a very sincere and honest tone to her voice and look in her eyes as she hugged Harry tightly before Ron jumped in with a quick hug.

"Meaning," Harry asked with a confused and unsure frown on his face, as he wasn't completely sure exactly what power he had over Voldemort.

"Love Harry, Voldemort can't understand love…not real love, he's to sick and twisted inside to understand it," Ron interjected with a calm and almost sage like look in his eyes as he answered Harry's question. Had Harry been looking at his two best friends at that moment he would have seen the look of love and pride that Hermione sent Ron's way, and that the look was equally returned.

"Okay…you two had better hide, there should be just enough room up there beside the waterfall, you'll be able to see everything from there, if anything happens," Harry stumbled out softly in reply at first before he grew resolved and pointed at the high up waterfall as he explained the rest.

"They won't know what hit em," Ron said with a very serious and determined tone to his voice before he laid his hand flat on Hermione's back and the two hurriedly raced towards the waterfall. Harry didn't see how they got up there but did check one last time that they had made it as he waved up at them and they waved back.

"This is all happening to fast, I didn't have time to set up any of the new spells and," Hermione started to babble once she and Ron had gotten to the waterfall and Ron had sat back down after waving at Harry. Ron rolled his eyes and smiled before he leaned over and cut Hermione off with a soft kiss.

"Easy Mione, you did the best that you could, we didn't know when he was coming…it won't do anyone, least of all Harry, any good to second guess yourself now," Ron whispered softly to Hermione as he reached up and gently caressed her left cheek with the thumb of his right hand.

"I know, it's just that I don't like being surprised, Ron…you have to promise me something," Hermione softly mumbled out with a down look on her face before she raised her gaze up to meet Ron's.

"Anything," Ron replied with a very honest and concerned look on his face, as he looked deep into her eyes in an effort to try and figure out what she meant.

"You have to promise me that you won't do something stupid like leap in front of a spell that's meant for me or Harry," Hermione started to explain with a very serious and scared look on her face before Ron spoke up.

"But," Ron grumbled with a argumentative look in his eyes as he started to rise up to his knees but Hermione pulled him back down as she spoke.

"But nothing Ron, I would die if something happened to you, and what would I tell Harry if you died and I fell to pieces, it took us six years to get here Ron, I don't…can't lose you," Hermione declared with a very serious look on her face at first before her resolve quickly broke down and tears came to her eyes.

"I will, but only if you promise to do the same, I love you Hermione," Ron said back with a very heartfelt look of concern on his face as he reached out and pulled Hermione closer to him.

"I love you to," Hermione whispered back with a very scared look in her eyes as they began to tear up before the embraced in a passionate kiss and waited for the inevitable.

END OF CHAPTER 11

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for reading this chapter, as always reviews are appreciated and always welcome. If you have any questions feel free to use my forum to ask them and I'll answer them. Anyway in this chapter Ginny and Harry finally kiss but then the alarms go off telling everyone that Voldemort and his followers are on their way. It's a magical alarm kind of like radar. Ron and Hermione were off to spend a little time together, probably snogging, when the alarms sounded. Dumbledore and McGonagall cleared out the main hall so that whatever battle happened there they wouldn't be falling over the tables and chairs. I chose the chamber of secrets for what Harry would configure the room of requirement as because he knew it well enough and it would be big enough so that he would have room to maneuver and have plenty of places for Ron and Hermione to hide. I'm hopeful that when the seventh book comes out Ron and Hermione will be together from the beginning, with us seeing how they get together and then later on some quiet time for just the two, I think that it's deserved that the two get at least a little, though perhaps they'd keep it from Harry. They wouldn't want to flaunt their relationship in front of Ginny and Harry given their circumstances. About the movies to me they're trying to blur the fact that Ron fancies Hermione and she fancies him right back by putting some Harry/Hermione-esque bits in there as well as some Viktor/Hermione bits. Though in the end we all know that it'll be Ron/Hermione. I just hope that it doesn't get all jammed into the last few minutes of the book and film. So in closing thanks to everyone for reading and reviews are appreciated.


	16. Death Comes Quickly

LETTERS FROM BEYOND 

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.**

**CHAPTER 12-DEATH COMES QUICKLY**

"Where is he," Hermione grumbled softly to herself with a very unhappy and upset pout on her face, as she held her wand at ready, and stared down into the chamber.

"He'll come, this is supposed to be his great moment in the sun right, his big victory over the boy who lived, he'll come Mione, trust me," Ron whispered back softly with a very certain look in his eyes as he laid a calming hand on Hermione's arm but kept his wand up at the ready.

"I know, I just wish he'd hurry up, all of this waiting is driving me crazy," Hermione pouted back with an anxious and apprehensive look on her face and tone to her voice as she let out a deep breath and tried to keep her cool.

"Thankfully Harry's keeping his cool, one way or another it'll all be over after tonight, we take out Voldemort and his followers will be leaderless, just think about it…no more worry, no more fear, no more pain and suffering," Ron started to say with a very serious look on his face before he closed his eyes and started to dream of a world without Voldemort, all before Hermione brought him crashing back down to reality.

"All of that existed well before Voldemort…or Tom Riddle, was ever born, and it will continue to exist long after he…and us, are long gone," Hermione stated with a very well thought out tone to her voice as she flexed her grip on her wand before she started to think that perhaps it would be a good idea to cast a few protective spells before Voldemort and his Death Eaters arrived.

"You're right, but I'll still feel better after he's dead and gone," Ron said back with a scared pout on his face as he pulled his hand from Hermione's arm, receiving a groan from her for breaking the physical contact, before he crawled out to the edge of the cliff that they were hiding on.

"We all will, but we can't think about that now, Harry is going to need us at our best if he's going to defeat Voldemort," Hermione replied sharply with an anxious and frustrated frown on her face before she crawled out to the edge of the cliff beside Ron and looked down at Harry. He had taken off his school robes and tie, anything that Voldemort could use offensively against him had to go, along with anything that would restrict his movements in any way.

"You two had better stay back in the shadows, if he notices you to quickly it'll be over before it starts," Harry shouted over at Ron and Hermione with a more scared than angry tone to his voice as he turned to face them and anxiously shifted his weight back and forth on his heels.

"Sorry Harry," Ron shouted back with a guilty and embarrassed scowl on his face before they all heard a noise and instantly went silent. They all waited on pins and needles to discover the origin of the sound. It was several seconds later when they let out a sigh of relief as nothing had popped out at them or cast any spells.

"This is," Harry started to grumble under his breath, as Ron and Hermione ducked back out of sight, before there was a loud commotion outside of the room. Harry instantly stopped speaking and rushed out of the dim light of the room and into the shadows, hoping to at least have a chance at getting a drop on Voldemort, though he fully expected that Voldemort had anticipated a trap. They waited in agonizing silence for several seconds before three death eaters stepped cautiously into the room, instantly being surprised at what they saw.

"Ron no," Hermione hissed as softly as she could while still not being loud enough for anyone other than her boyfriend to hear as she grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him back, keeping him from casting a spell that was already on his lips.

"But," Ron started to argue under his breath with a confused and very nervous look on his face before one of the Death Eater's spoke.

"The chamber of secrets, but who would have known," One of the hooded death eater's said with an awed tone to his voice as he stepped into the room and turned to the other.

"Potter…he would know, he fought the basilisk in the chamber," The other death eater, a woman, replied with a very noticeable amount of scorn and mockery in her voice at the mention of Harry.

"Then he must be here somewhere…hiding, we should alert lord Voldemort," The male death eater said with a nervous and almost scared tone to his voice as he turned back towards the door and started towards it before stopping suddenly.

"I will not run from a mere boy," Voldemort growled with an angry sneer on his face as he stared down the male death eater as he slowly entered the room of requirement.

"My lord," The female death eater exclaimed with a very reverential tone to her voice as he knelt down in front of him before he strode on past her as if she wasn't even there.

"So Mr. Potter, you want to play games eh, hiding from me like the rat that you are, I bet that your two pitiful friends are here with you, the mudblood and the blood traitor," Voldemort shouted out into the expanse of the chamber of secrets before up on the ridge Hermione nearly had to hex Ron to keep him from doing anything in retaliation. He turned to her and pleaded silently with his eyes but she set a determined look on her face and shook her head, waiting for Harry to make the first move. She didn't have to wait very long.

"Here I am Tom," Harry said softly with an eerily calm tone to his voice as he stood up from his hiding spot and walked slowly towards Voldemort, never once taking his eyes off of the man that had murdered his parents. The two death eaters looked ready to kill Harry instantly but a glare from Voldemort kept them both silent.

"Ready to die Harry," Voldemort asked with an extremely overconfident snicker to his voice as he pulled out his wand.

"After you," Harry calmly replied without batting an eye as he pulled his own wand out and pointed its tip straight at Voldemort's heart.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

The battle was a terrible one, many times during it Ron could have sworn that those moments in the room of requirement would be his last. While Harry fought Voldemort he and Hermione siphoned off the two death eaters, making sure that Harry had a fighting chance. Even though they were both many years younger than their opponents Ron and Hermione fought bravely, though as time went on their inexperience began to show. Ron had to rely more on his quick reflexes and determination to keep just out of the reach of the spells cast at him while Hermione began to use the contents of the chamber to defend herself with. When a particularly powerful spell was cast her way she would duck behind something large and hunker down, letting the obstruction take the full force of the attack for her. Just when they had found themselves cornered back up on the ledge that they had started on, with both death eaters preparing to cast a killing curse, did the unthinkable happen. From out of nowhere it appeared, black as night and as ominous as doomsday. Even though he wasn't the smartest wizard in the world Ron instantly knew what it was. Sirius had disappeared into it almost exactly a year earlier. He had tried to ask Hermione about it, expecting that she had known that it would show up but when he turned to her he found her looking back at him with just as stunned of a look on her face.

The death eaters at first didn't notice it, but once they did they halted their attack. Ron guessed that they were trying to figure out if what they thought that they saw was the real thing and not some illusion. Not taking any chances Ron and Hermione pounced forward and hit the two death eaters with the most powerful hex that they could think of. Both death eaters went flying up into the air and straight towards the dreaded artifact. They only had time to begin to scream before they were sucked away to death. At this Voldemort momentarily took his focus away from Harry and growled as the death eaters disappeared forever. It was just the opening that Harry had been hoping and praying for. First from behind him and then from the tip of Harry's wand a stream of light rocketed out and struck Voldemort in the chest. Instantly he growled in pain and surprise, but it was to late. The last words that he would ever hear were spoken calmly by Albus Dumbledore.

"Goodbye Tom," Dumbledore said softly with a sad and somber frown on his face before Voldemort disappeared as well. It was finally over.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

It would be nearly three months later, just as he helped Ron carry his luggage back onto the Hogwarts Express, that Harry explained it all. After Voldemort's death the wizarding world went first into a state of confusion and panic. But as word got out that the news of Voldemorts death was not a hoax and the pox on their world was truly gone forever did the celebrations begin. The trio had barely found enough time to finish classes and take a few tests. Though the fight hadn't taken long none of the trio had come out of it completely unscathed. Harry now had a noticeable limp that despite her best efforts Madam Pomfrey could not remedy. A slashing curse had just grazed Hermione behind her left ear. If she had turned out of the way any slower it would have killed her. The scar had healed somewhat since that day but for the first time Hermione was glad for her frizzy hair, as it covered up the scar that she was sure that everyone could see the moment that they looked at her. Ron had problems more similar to Hermione's than to Harry's. Having expected the room to hold up better had been surprised when a large rock directly in front of him had exploded upon impact from the spell of one of the death eaters. Shards of razor sharp rock had blown up into Ron's face. Hermione's heart had very nearly stopped beating the moment that she saw Ron with his face all covered in blood. She had almost dropped her wand at that moment. In the end thanks once again to Madam Pomfrey the old evidence of that injury to Ron was a scar that ran through Ron's left eyebrow. Ginny had fared much better as against her wishes both McGonagall and Dumbledore had made sure to keep her behind them.

As they sat down and slowly watched Hogwarts slip away into the distance Harry thought about getting some sleep, not wanting to answer any more questions. But just as he was about to shut his eyes Ginny had pounced on him and berated him for scaring her like that by not telling her his plan. In truth the plan had only come to him the day before Voldemort arrived at the school. He had at first thought that the plan was so full of holes that it couldn't work. But as he thought more about it, and talked to Dumbledore about it, the headmaster thought that it just might work. Needless to say the Ministry of Magic had a cow over it all but had to shelve their complaints given the result. Not all of the death eaters had been killed or captured that day, Lucius Malfoy had and a few others had slipped away after Voldemort's defeat and were now at large.

When first Ginny and then Harry fell asleep Ron thought about kissing Hermione right then and there. But she had been firm and explained that they needed to make their rounds as head boy and head girl. Reluctantly Ron had accompanied her on the rounds, doing his best not to poke fun at Draco Malfoy, who since Voldemort's death and his father's flight had kept himself absent from any gathering of more than a few people. Hermione ended up having to grab Ron by the collar and drag him away from Draco before she shushed him into the caboose and magically shut the doors behind them before placing a muffling spell on them. Ron was about to ask her what was going on when she pocketed her wand, pushed him up against the wall and smiled as she looped her arms around the back of his neck, pulling him into a kiss both knew was long coming.

END OF LETTERS FROM BEYOND-VOLUME 1

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for reading, reviews are always appreciated. I know that the battle was short and all but to be completely honest I found it very hard to think of how the battle would go. Most ways had already been done and I certainly wouldn't want to be accused of copying someone's idea of the final battle. Finally the thought of using the veil that Sirius had fallen through back at the end of fifth year popped into my head. I just found it kind of fitting that it would be how Voldemort would die, killed by the boy who lived and the one wizard that he had always feared. As for the volume one part since in this story it's only the end of the trio's sixth year there is still a seventh year to come, with Ron and Hermione being together, though with only the teachers at Hogwarts and a few others knowing, and now Harry and Ginny are together as well, though everyone knows about them. All is not perfect though as Lucius Malfoy and a few others are still loose and more than likely looking for revenge, seeing Voldemort as a martyr. So if enough people want me to continue this story then I'll start volume two of Letters From Beyond at the start of the trio and Ginny's seventh year. In closing again thanks to everyone for reading this story, I hope that you liked it, and as always reviews are appreciated.


End file.
